


Mine

by Mertronus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Battle of Hogwarts, Canon Compliant, F/M, Hogwarts Era, Hogwarts Fifth Year, Hogwarts Fourth Year, Hogwarts Sixth Year, Hogwarts Third Year, Horcrux Hunting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:53:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 42,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28971633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mertronus/pseuds/Mertronus
Summary: What would have happened if Hermione and Ron were honest with each other from the beginning?  If they didn't hide their feelings, and battled their insecurities together?This fic starts summer before 3rd year (POA) and major events/timelines/characters etc are canon - only difference is that we get to watch Ron and Hermione grow as a couple much sooner.  So while the major events are the same (battles, Voldemort, etc), their relationship will change other things.  Obviously I'm having loads of fun with the possibilities!!!My thing is, to me, Ron and Hermione are passionate and loving and really not as daft as they're written to be - especially not towards one another.  They know and understand each other, can read each other very well, can see right through each other.  So here. their love is seen in each other and grows over time and innocently as they get older.  Ron's possessiveness plays a factor as well as Hermione's ability to really understand him.Rated M for later chapters.  Obviously the early chapters are K+ then T...but then you tack on Ron's mouth and then, well...this IS Ron and Hermione we're talking about!I do not own Harry Potter or his friends.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 179
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This here is my baby. I've been dabbling at this as my daughter and I reread the series, with the question of "what if" hanging in my head! So, this is me, answering my own what if. 
> 
> Canon Compliant, so you'll see the regular stuff throughout. Whenever I quote from the book I'll italicize, bold and mark it accordingly! Hope you all have as much fun reading as I am writing :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third Year

_Hi Mione!_

_Guess what! We're on our way to Egypt! We won some prize from the Daily Prophet...700 Galleons! And when we get back I'm getting a new wand THANK MERLIN. I tried to call Harry on the muggle hello-phone thing to tell him but his muggle uncle was wickedly mean. I know you know how to use the muggle phone thing but DO NOT CALL HARRY. I don't want his git of an uncle yelling at you too. I'm going to talk to mum again about getting Harry away from those evil muggles. The burrow may be small but we have room!_

_Write back! And don't call Harry...just write to him._

_Love, Ron_

* * *

_Ron!_

_Oh Merlin Ron, Egypt? That is so exciting! I was curious so I read a bit about the ancient tombs in Egypt. They put all kinds of curses and hexes on them so that when you enter you are immediately cursed. Horrible curses too, like growing an extra head or other appendage or perhaps losing body parts. It's barbaric. Do be careful! Of course with your brother being a curse breaker, you shouldn't have any problems._

_As for us, we are heading to Paris! I cannot wait. We'll spend the days in the many museums there, which I won't bore you with those details. You must go some day though. You would love the food. Especially the pastries. Pain au chocolat would likely be your favorite._

_When will you return? Harry's birthday is next week! I have a present for him, but I'm not sure how I will get it to him with no owl. I may have to send it to you to send with Errol the next time you write. Will he be able to fly such a distance? Mum says I can get a pet this year! So I may have an owl of my own soon enough!_

_I know perfectly well how to use a TELEPHONE Ron, thank you very much. I know enough not to shout at someone through the receiver! Yes, Harry told me all about it in his last letter. At least this summer Harry has been able to write, thought. So I won't call him. It would be so lovely if he was able to stay with you more. I do not know how he can possibly stand living with his aunt and uncle. They sound absolutely horrid. And that cousin of his! He makes Draco Malfoy sound like an absolute little angel!_

_Please be careful Ron, but do have fun! Can't wait to see you._

_Love, Mione_

* * *

Hermione sighed as she signed her name on Ron's letter. _Mione_ he had started to call her. Typically she was not a fan of nicknames, but something about the way he said Mione made her smile. Even reading it in written form made her feel things she didn't quite understand...but rather liked. 

Perhaps it was the way _Mione_ sounded somewhat equal to _mine_ to Hermione...she wondered if he made the same connection. 

Harry didn't call her nicknames...and she would likely throw a hex his way if he did. But Ron, he was different. All three of them were best friends, but Hermione knew her relationship with Ron was not at all the same as her relationship with Harry. At first, she knew she felt that way. Then, when he ended up belching up slugs for her, she realized that so did he.

"You shouldn't have done that Ron," Hermione had admonished him as he leaned his pale, green face on the bucket in his lap. She grimaced as he wretched a slug into the bucket.

"Well, I did it didn't I," he sighed. "I'd do anything for you."

 _"I'd do anything for you..."_ She smiled at the memory. 

As much as she was looking forward to a few weeks in Paris with her parents, she was most looking forward to coming home. And seeing Ron again.

And Harry...yes. Harry too, of course.

Hermione tied the letter to Errol's leg and sent him off.

* * *

_Mione,_

_I hope Errol finds you in Paris okay. I'm sending him to you first, then he'll be off to Harry with a letter for him and his present. Maybe let Errol rest for a day or so before you send him off? But this way you can send Harry your letter and present too. Considering it's not too large for the old clumsy owl to carry._

_Egypt is awesome! I'll tell you all about it when we get back. You were right though, there are all these skeletons of people with extra heads who were cursed trying to get into the tombs! It's bloody brilliant! Mum didn't think so though._

_We'll be back the week before term starts. Mum says we'll go to Diagon Alley the day before we leave and stay. She says you can come too! And Harry. That way we can get our stuff for school (and my new wand!) and then we'll already be in London to get to the train the next day. You'll come right? Mum says you can share a room with Ginny...next to theirs of course. Don't go to Diagon Alley until then!_

_See you soon._  
_Love, Ron_

* * *

Ron sent Errol off with Hermione's letter, as well as Harry's letter and gift. He kept it small, a pocket sneakoscope, so Errol could handle it. Hopefully. As he watched Errol fly a bit erratically out of sight, he said a small prayer that he would make it to Paris and then to Surrey in one piece.

He was enjoying his time with his family in Egypt, but he couldn't wait to get home to his best friends either. He wanted to see Harry, and get him away from those evil muggles as soon as he could, but he also wanted to see Hermione.

As annoying as she can sometimes be, Ron realized how much he wanted Hermione around. He couldn't quite explain it, but she made him smile. And being away from her made him worry.

It probably had to do with seeing her petrified last year. Something about knowing that he was unable to protect her in that moment unnerved him. Because of that, he borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak almost every night she was in hospital and would sneak down to sit with her. Most times he wouldn't talk...he would just watch her. And will her to wake up. A couple times he would feel tears well behind his eyes - sometimes from anger, sometimes from sadness and worry - and every time he would depart with the same message. "I'll do anything for you, Mione."

Apparently he meant it. I mean, who knew doing anything for Hermione would mean willingly walking into the nest of a cranky old Acromantula and his millions of hungry just as over-sized and cranky spawn?

But it was true. That girl had something over on Ron, he just didn't know what yet.

He decided, however, that he was completely okay with it. Whatever it was.

* * *

_Mione,_

_I'm using Hedwig for this letter. Harry sent him to me to keep for a couple weeks. Something about an evil muggle aunt visiting. Can you believe that? As if he doesn't have enough trouble with the ones he lives with!_

_I'm glad he at least had a decent birthday, between the gifts from us and he says Hagrid got him something too!_

_Can't wait to see you next week in Diagon Alley!_

_Love, Ron_

* * *

Ron stood on the stairs of the Leaky Cauldron, eyes trained on the door. Every time it opened, he waited to see Hermione walk through with her parents. Every time some old witch or wizard came in the door instead, he frowned.

Finally the door opened and a bushy haired girl walked in talking a mile a minute followed by her parents. Ron's eyes lit up as he took the rest of the stairs down two at a time. Though his dad was standing closer to the door, Ron beat him to the small family and threw his arms around Hermione.

"You're here!" he said happily at the same time that a very surprised Hermione said "Ron!" Their hug lingered for a moment until he pulled back awkwardly, realizing that all four of their parents were standing around them.

"Come on! Harry's around here somewhere, haven't found him yet," Ron said.

"You haven't found him yet?"

"No, we just arrived ourselves. I already checked his room but he's not there." Hermione looked at him puzzled. "I'll explain, come on!"

Hermione took a moment to hug her parents goodbye before allowing Ron to pull her away.

"So, apparently," Ron started to explain as they rambled down the streets of Diagon Alley, "your best friend got in a bit of trouble last week."

"Is he alright?!" Hermione gasped.

"He's fine. The silly git. Remember that aunt who was to visit him? He blew her up!" With that Ron stopped walking to double over in laughter.

"Ronald!" Hermione said horrified. "That's not funny at all!! He-" she lowered her voice. "He killed her?!"

"What?! No, Hermione, he blew her up. Like...inflated her. Like a big fat muggle balloon!" He leaned against the wall laughing again.

Slightly relieved, Hermione thought for a moment. "So...he performed accidental magic. Oh dear..."

Ron sobered himself up. "Don't worry though, dad says he's fine. Fudge, the Minister of Magic-"

"I know who Cornelius Fudge is Ronald," Hermione snapped rolling her eyes.

"Sorry...anyway, dad says Fudge told him not to worry. The Department of Accidental what's it reversed the spell and he didn't get in trouble. He left the Dursleys though, been staying at the Leaky for the last couple of weeks. By himself! I mean...how lucky is he? Rode the Knight Bus here and everything!"

Hermione shook her head. "It's astonishing to me the things you find... _lucky_. Come on, he must be around here somewhere."

They checked Flourish and Botts and Madam Malkins for Harry, but found no sign of him. Ron had the idea to check Florean's Ice Cream shop.

"Ronald...you just want to get ice cream."

"Well, if he's not there, we can just sit outside and we'll see him when he wanders by."

Hermione fussed, but in the end she bought a sundae as well, and found that Ron's plan worked. Soon enough, a mop of messy black hair came wandering down the street. The trio was together once again.

* * *

The following night, Hermione watched as Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey fussed over Harry in McGonagall's office. He seemed fine, but Hermione was still concerned after their adventurous train ride to Hogwarts that day.

It started out quiet, minus the bit where Harry filled her and Ron in that the mass murderer on the loose Sirius Black most likely escaped Azcaban in order to kill him, and a row or two with Ron about her new cat, Crookshanks, who he swore was after his rat Scabbers. Aside from that, everything was calm. 

That changed, however, when the Azcaban guards boarded the train and one came into their cabin, causing Harry to collapse. It was scary. And cold. And ...depressing. That was the only way to describe how she felt when the hooded figure was standing in their cabin's doorway. Completely and utterly depressed.

Finally, Harry, convincing the two older witches that he was okay, was sent outside the office to wait for Hermione.

"Now, Ms. Granger," Professor McGonagall regarded her sternly over her glasses. "Are you absolutely sure you want to proceed with the course load mapped out as we discussed?"

"Absolutely sure, Professor," she answered confidently. 

"Well, alright. As we've gone over everything, there's nothing more than to give you this." Professor McGonagall pulled a necklace out of her drawer and handed it to her. "This, is your time turner. This, is how you will be able to attend classes that overlap on your schedule, as well as get yourself extra study time. You will use it wisely, and you will tell no one that you are in possession of this." Professor McGonagall looked at her more sternly than ever as she fingered the piece of jewelry. "Not even Mr. Potter. Or Mr. Weasley."

Hermione looked up at the mention of Ron's name. "Professor...while it's likely Harry will never pick up on anything strange, I fear that Ron will absolutely figure it out."

The older witch was thoughtful for a moment. "Mr. Weasley is rather underestimated, is he not?" Hermione nodded, smiling tenderly as she thought of her best friend. "Well, for now let's keep this between us. If he should continuously question you or he figures it out, then bring him to me and we will explain it together."

Hermione nodded, "yes, Professor. That seems more than fair."

With that, Professor McGonagall went on to explain to Hermione how to use her time turner and the rules involved before she finally joined Harry and they headed off to the Great Hall in search of Ron.

* * *

_How is she doing it?_ Ron thought to himself as he watched Hermione's tiny ink-stained fingers scribbling furiously. She was taking so many classes - all of them in fact! But how? At one point on the schedule she had three classes at once! _That's impossible, isn't it?_

They were just reaching the end of October, and Ron could already see that Hermione was running herself absolutely mental. She looked exhausted, and he was pretty sure that if he didn't make sure she ate, that she wouldn't. He even tried to carry some of her books for her in the corridors - sometimes she'd let him. Sometimes she would refuse.

 _She's the most stubborn witch I've ever met. Barmy too._ Ron shook his head as he continued to watch her. He knew there was something his best friend wasn't telling him, but also knew that pushing her wouldn't get her to open up - not when she was being this stubborn.

No, Ron knew that all he could really do was be there for her - make sure she eats, sleeps, and doesn't break herself.

"Mmm," Hermione winced, shaking Ron out of her thoughts. He looked up to see her drop her quill on her parchment and shake her hand.

"Cramp?" He asked. Hermione nodded. Ron slid down to sit beside her on the floor and took her hand. He began to rub it as she sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Satisfied that this meant she was taking a break, he kept rubbing, paying special attention to her delicate fingers. He couldn't help but notice how small her hand looked in his. Made him feel even more like he needed to protect her. _Even if from herself._

"Harry should be back from practice soon," Ron said. "Did you want to wait up for him? You look knackered."

"I'm fine, Ron," she sighed. "I want to at least get this Arithmancy essay done before I call it a night."

Ron nodded. "Alright...finish this essay, then go to bed." Hermione rolled her eyes. He chuckled and kissed her hand. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you." Hermione smiled wide-eyed at the redhead sitting beside her and kissed his cheek. "You're amazing."

Ron felt his ears burn red and he shrugged. As much as he missed Harry the evenings he had Quidditch practice - three nights a week now! - he couldn't help but enjoy the evenings he got to spend with just Hermione...as long as they weren't in the middle of a row.

And as long as her ruddy cat stayed away from Scabbers.

 _That barmy cat,_ Ron thought as he glanced over at Crookshanks sitting in the corner licking his lips and glowering at him. He made a face back at the monster cat as Hermione returned to her work, completely unaware of the ginger stare-off happening beside her. Ron rolled his eyes and returned to his book without saying anything. They had spent the last two days not speaking after the last time Crookshanks attacked Scabbers and had just made up. As much as he couldn't stand her cat, he didn't want to mess things up with Hermione now - not with their first Hogsmeade trip the next day. On top of that, he also knew that Harry was upset enough about missing Hogsmeade - the added stress of his two best mates arguing was not something Harry needed.

Ron glanced over at Hermione again. He wanted Hermione to have a good time the next day - with him. After all, it looked as if they would be spending a lot of Hogsmeade trips for the foreseeable future together, without Harry. Ron couldn't help but smile at himself over the possibilities. But then shook his head slightly at the thought. _She's my best friend._ He looked over at her again. _But...she's not Harry. She's not a bloke. She's brilliant and beautiful and...she's Hermione. Bloody hell, I'm spending the whole day with her tomorrow._

* * *

_Oh Merlin,_ Hermione thought as her and Ron began their walk from the castle the following morning. She glanced back at Harry left standing just inside the entrance to the Great Hall and sighed. _Harry really can't come. This is really happening._ She looked at the tall redhead walking beside her. "It's just us then."

"Yeah," Ron said softly. Hermione didn't even realize she spoke her thoughts out loud until he answered. She seriously had to work on that.

They walked quietly for a moment, and Hermione noticed that their fingers kept brushing against each other. Hers twitched towards his as if drawn to them - long and gangly, much like the rest of him. If she really wanted to she could-

"Oh!" So focused on their hands, Hermione paid no attention to her feet, and the large branch that caused her to trip. Ron grabbed her hand to steady her.

"Y'okay?" he asked, concerned. She nodded and whispered her thank you as they continued walking. Except...Ron never let go of her hand. Hermione kept her eyes straight ahead, scared that if she looked down at their intertwined fingers, that he would get shy and pull away.

So, they walked on, trying not to draw attention to their hands and making shy small talk. The weather, the Halloween feast that night, Harry, and finally, where they wanted to go first once they reached the village.

They made it to Hogsmeade and Ron dropped her hand to point to Honeydukes, where Hermione promised they could go first.

"Alright, Ron. But then we are definitely going to Scrivenshaft's after. I desperately need some new ink."

"Already?" Hermione shot him a look. "Alright alright! Honeyduke's for me, Scrivenshaft's for you, Zonko's for me-" Hermione scoffed. "-Tomes and Scrolls for you," at this she smiled and nodded her approval, "then we'll get lunch at the Three Broomsticks and figure out where else to go."

"Sounds like a plan."

Hermione and Ron hit their destinations, window shopping or spending the bit of spending money they had - mostly for Harry, outside of Hermione's ink and a new quill. She treated them to lunch, then they wandered the rest of the village enjoying sights like the post office and even the sporting goods store. By the time they were making their way back to the castle, they were both tired, but happy. They chattered animatedly about all they saw, and this time, Hermione noticed that Ron took her hand before she could even come across a branch to trip over. Not that she was looking for one...

* * *

Harry and Professor Lupin were leaning against the railing of one of the towers watching the students return from Hogsmeade when Harry spotted his two best friends. He could just make out the fact that their hands were joined. Lupin apparently could too as he followed Harry's gaze.

"The three of you have a very close bond, I can tell," Professor Lupin mused. "You all look out for each other."

Harry nodded. "Since first year," he said. "Don't know what these last couple of years would have been like without them."

Lupin looked at Harry watching his friends thoughtfully. "You know, Harry, there's a possibility you may start to feel funny about...well...like you're a, what muggles call, a third wheel-" Harry shook his head, cutting him off.

"I'm not worried about that Professor. I feel like I have a special enough relationship with each of them, separately, that their own relationship, whatever it may become, doesn't bother me. I think the three of us are solid enough for it." Harry chuckled softly, "besides...I'll take the pair of them holding hands over bickering any day."

Lupin joined in on his laughter. "Yes, yes, so I've heard. Quite the pair those two are, eh?" Harry nodded. "Well, I won't keep you, Harry. I know you want to hear all about their day, and I'm sure they've brought their best friend back some treats. I'll see you at the Halloween Feast in a bit."

"See you there professor," Harry nodded to Professor Lupin and began his descent down the stairs to find Ron and Hermione. He really did hope they brought him back something from Honeyduke's.

* * *

"Hermione," Ron whispered from his sleeping bag, trying not to draw the attention of anyone else in the Great Hall. "You asleep?"

"No," Hermione whispered back from her own. "Is Harry?" She tried to peek over Ron without raising her head to high. She heard Ron whisper to the sleeping bag on his other side.

"Yeah," he said turning back to Hermione. "He's asleep."

"What do you make of all this? I mean...how did Sirius Black get in the castle? Do you think he was really after Harry?"

Ron thought for a moment. "If he was, seemed silly to try to get into the tower while we were all at the Halloween feast...d'init? He must have known Harry wouldn't be in the tower. Unless he planned to hide under his bed or something."

Hermione shuddered at the thought. They had such a nice day, to have it all ruined by the break in of Sirius Black. And the poor Fat Lady, her portrait slashed so violently. "Who do you think they'll put to guard the entrance to Gryffindor Tower now? Surely the Fat Lady will get mended and return?"

"I hope so...kinda like 'er I guess." They lay on their sides facing each other but in their own thoughts. Hermione shuddered again and Ron placed his hand over hers, gently rubbing her knuckles. "He's gone, Hermione."

"He could come back," she whispered. "He got in once, he can get in again." Ron wasn't sure what to say to comfort her fears, so he just continued to rub her hands lightly, hoping that would help somehow. "Who do you think Professor Snape thinks helped him get in? It sound's as if he suspects a teacher."

"A new teacher...Lupin maybe?"

Hermione's eyes opened wide. "Surely not! You don't think he'd...I mean he wouldn't...Right?"

Ron shrugged. "Let's try to get some sleep." Hermione nodded. As they closed their eyes, neither moved their hands away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the amazing feedback so far! I'm having so much fun writing this one and sharing. If my days go as I plan I'll likely update about 3 times a week - but if I fall short of that I apologize! Kids, internet woes...life. You know. But this is really my happy place after a long day so here I am. Enjoy!
> 
> This chapter covers the remainder of third year. Again, the major events (regarding their best mate) are canon. But we'll see how their actually budding relationship changes things here and there. ;)
> 
> Third Year...

The wind and rain were absolutely ridiculous as Ron squinted in the stands. He almost wished he was back in the warm, dry Great Hall where he just had breakfast with Hermione, or better yet, in the Common Room in front of the fire...with Hermione. But there was no way he wasn't going to support his best mate's first Quidditch game of the season, no matter how awful the weather was.

"How can Harry even play in this?" he asked out loud to Hermione who was shivering beside him. He did his best to tighten the blanket around them and shield her, but he didn't feel as if it helped at all. He did, however, notice the way she seemed to tuck even further into his side in her own attempt to shield herself. He couldn't be sure if the sudden chill he felt was because of the elements or...

"I don't know! But it does seem like he's having problems with his glasses. No way he can catch the snitch if he can't see through this!"

"Too bad we can't, I dunno, charm little wipers on his glasses or something." Ron laughed at his joke, but Hermione stiffened up and gasped. He could almost see the gears turning in her head...she had an idea.

"Ronald! You...you're brilliant!" She looked down in time to see Oliver Wood call a time out. "Perfect! I'll be right back!"

Ron watched as she threw the blanket off of her and made her way down to the side of the pitch, near where the Gryffindor team was gathering to speak to Wood. He watched as Hermione called to Harry, then cast a spell on his glasses. Harry beamed at her and, if Ron didn't know better, he would have sworn Oliver Wood was looking at Hermione as if he could kiss her. Ron narrowed his eyes and didn't move them from her.

Hermione made it back up to Ron and immediately wrapped herself back in the blanket, pulling her against him. "What did you do?"

"Impervious Charm," she said breathlessly. "On his lenses. It-"

"Repels water!" Ron finished for her. "You're amazing you are!"

"You gave me the idea!" Ron grinned as she nudged him playfully. "I may be a know-it-all, but sometimes I need the idea planted."

"You're not a know-it-all, Hermione," Ron said, still angered by Snape's name-calling. He would gladly tell him off again and have a repeat detention. No one calls Hermione a know-it-all.

"You call me a know-it-all all the time," she said almost indignantly. _Bollocks._

"Yeah, well...no one else can. Maybe you're...you're MY know-it-all. I never mean anything by it when I call you that. Your being a know-it-all's saved me and Harry several times already. But when git's like Snape or the Slytherin's call you that...it's different. They mean it in a mean way. They don't appreciate your...your being a know-it-all the way I do - Harry too. But you know...they're just jealous. They wish they knew even half of what you know." He glanced over at Hermione once he stopped his mini rant. She was looking at him with wide brown eyes. Despite the cold and wind and rain, his ears and neck suddenly felt extremely warm.

"I'm...your-" Hermione's question was cut off by shrieking. The pair quickly cast their eyes to the pitch and searched frantically for their best mate's mop of black hair. They couldn't find him at first, but then they finally spotted him...falling from the sky.

* * *

"Did you see how furious Dumbledore was?" Ron asked, as they paced in front of the hospital wing doors. "I have never, ever seen Dumbledore so angry."

"The dementors came onto the grounds after he distinctly prohibited them from doing so, and almost...almost..." she stopped and looked at Ron, tears filling her eyes once again that afternoon. "Harry could have been...," she whispered, unable to finish her sentence. "Of course Dumbledore was angry. Harry could have...he could have..."

Ron pulled her into him and hugged her. "He wasn't though. He's alive. Dumbledore slowed his fall, he landed safely, and he'll be fine. Madam Pomfrey will make sure of it." Hermione nodded against his chest before pulling back and quickly wiping her tears. 

Ron shoved his hands in his pockets while he tried once again to peer into the Hospital Wing, giving Hermione a moment to pull herself together. He knew that while she had only recently started to allow her emotions to show in front of him, she still kept a straight face in front of others. And as they both suspected they would be, they were soon joined by the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team as they continued to wait until they could be sure that their best friend was indeed okay.

While they waited, Professor Flitwick came up to them, levitating a large bag with what looked like twigs sticking out.

"Has Mr. Potter woken up yet?" Flitwick asked. 

"We don't know," Ron supplied with a shrug. "We haven't been allowed in yet."

Flitwick nodded and let the bag float down to Ron and Hermione's feet. "I'm afraid his broom has seen better days," he sighed. "When Potter fell, it flew off...directly into the Whomping Willow."

Hermione peeked into the bag. "Oh nooo...." she said softly. She looked up at Ron. "How in the world will we tell him?"

* * *

Harry took the news of his broom poorly, as Ron and Hermione suspected, but Ron couldn't help but notice that something more than just his broom or the lost game was bothering him. He and Hermione stayed by Harry's side as much as they could all weekend long, walking back to the Common Room each night together just before curfew, at Hermione's insistence. As soon as he was out, the trio went back to their normal routine as Christmas Hols approached. Both Hermione and Ron had decided to stay with Harry over Christmas break, which Harry was happy about.

He was not, however, happy about being left for Hogsmeade. Ron felt bad too, but there wasn't much he could do. The twins were able to help Harry though, much to Ron's surprise and Hermione's chagrin. When an invisible Harry surprised them in Hogsmeade,after sneaking out of the castle through a passage thanks to a ruddy map, the two were beyond surprised. 

Ron also could not believe the twins, his own brothers, never shared such a treasure with him, but gave it to Harry.

That night, Hermione sat in the corner of the crowded common room waiting for Ron to return from checking on Harry. She was so worried about Harry after all they heard in The Three Broomsticks. She was still furious at him for sneaking out of the castle in the first place, what with a convicted murderer skulking around looking for him.

But then, to learn that not only had that murderer been responsible for his parents murder, but that he was such good friends with them that they made him _Harry's Godfather_?

Hermione was staring at the fire when Ron sat next to her. "He's asleep," he said softly. "Or...at least pretending to be."

Hermione nodded. She had expected as much. "I'm worried about him Ron. Not just because this...crazed lunatic is after him. I'm worried about what he's feeling...what he's planning."

"I'm glad we're not leaving him alone over break. He definitely needs us here."

Hermione looked at him. "Do you think he'll do something stupid?"

"Like...like what?" Hermione shrugged. "Well, I reckon we just have to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. "And then save him when he does." 

Ron chuckled. "That's what best friends are for, after all."

* * *

Ron walked the corridor coming from the kitchens and nibbling on one of the biscuits the elves gave him during his visit. Harry was at practice - Oliver started calling for practice almost every evening now - and Hermione was...well...

Ron scowled. Some best friend she'd been. She bloody well almost ruined Christmas.

First, her bloody cat attacked Scabbers again, and she barely cared! " _That's just normal cat behavior Ronald_ ," she had said. Ron scoffed as he walked.

But that wasn't enough! Then, she had to go and tell McGonagall about Harry's brand new Firebolt! Harry got the best broom there is, and now it was being...stripped! _That's just...insulting!_

He thought as he walked... _I mean, I get it. She wants to protect Harry. She thinks Sirius Black sent him the Firebolt and jinxed it to hurt him. But did she really, really have to go and tell ole' McGonagall? They're going to ruin his brand new broom! Especially if Snape gets his hands on it. The git. He'll be sure to ruin it...on purpose!_

It had been a long few days. The evenings were especially boring. Harry was always either at practice or with Professor Lupin learning how to ward off the ruddy dementors who can't seem to leave him alone, and Hermione holed herself up in the library until Madame Pince threw her out. Ron was lonely. And bored. And missed his best mates.

Both of them.

He didn't even pay attention to where his feet were taking him, and it wasn't until he found himself outside of the library doors that he stopped and looked in. He sighed and opened the door quietly, nodded his greeting to the librarian, and walked quietly and slowly towards the back. He ducked behind a shelf and crept further back until he could just see a corner table by the window come into view. He peeked carefully around the corner.

There, on the table covered in books and parchment, was a head of bushy brown hair. Hermione was fast asleep...quill still in her ink-stained hands.

 _She's completely knackered,_ Ron thought shaking his head. _She's doing way too much with all these bloody classes and she's running herself completely ragged._

Ron couldn't deny that he was so very angry with her. But he also couldn't deny he was also so very, very worried. He stood there for a moment thinking, then finally acted once he saw her shiver. The window behind her was open and he could feel the cold winter air seeping through.

As quiet as he could, he walked over to her and placed her cloak up over her shoulder. She flinched and he froze, half ready to run if she opened her eyes - but she never did.

He paused for another moment, and remembered that, once again, Hermione never did turn up for supper. He shook his head again as he pulled the few crumpets he nicked from the kitchens out of his cloak pocket, made sure they were wrapped well in their napkin, and placed them on the table next to her.

Satisfied with his efforts, he gazed at her for another moment. A few curls were covering her face, falling into her eyes and on her nose. His fingers twitched as if they wanted nothing more than to tuck those curls behind her ear. He clenched his fists instead and shook his head to clear his mind of the thought.

 _I'm still mad at you,_ he thought, _but I'll be damned if you starve or freeze yourself to death._ With that, he turned and walked out of the library to head to the common room and wait for Harry.

* * *

By Easter Hols Hermione was stressed out. She spent the entire day in the library, until it closed, then set up for the rest of the evening in the common room.

Making it all bearable, was the fact that she had her two best friends back, and one of them rarely left her side.

She felt pretty good about the fact that once Harry got his broomstick back, all would be well between them. And Harry did in fact immediately forgive her...unfortunately, that very same night Scabbers went missing, and the evidence pointed to Crookshanks. At least, according to Ron it did.

But even Hermione couldn't deny that the blood and orange hair left in Scabber's wake was not at all a good sign.

She missed Ron, but he was so angry, so she let him be. Harry tried to bring them together, but it didn't work. Hermione was so upset - especially after Ron was almost attacked when Sirius Black got into their dorm! - that she even confided in Hagrid.

And she did all she could to help Hagrid too, to help him with Buckbeak's case. They were treating the poor creature like a criminal when the entire incident could have been avoided had Draco Malfoy simply followed Hagrid's directions! But even with everything Hermione did to help, he still lost.

At this point, despite the fact that his pet was still missing, Ron had jumped into action. Hermione smiled as she thought of the way he hugged her and consoled her. Then, knowing that her schoolwork was overwhelming her, he took over researching Buckbeak's case for his appeal. 

"What are you smiling at?" Ron whispered from across the library table.

Hermione looked up at him startled. "No-nothing," she lied. She put her quill back to her parchment and continued her essay for Muggle Studies.

She felt Ron watching her for a moment. "I still don't understand why in the world you're taking Muggle Studies."

"I told you, Ron, I want to learn-"

"How we learn about muggles from the wizarding perspective, I know." Hermione shot him a look. "I'm just saying...it's silly. You're already going so barmy over all these extra classes you're taking."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't understand," she sighed.

Ron opened his mouth to say something else, but then changed his mind. "Come on, let's pack up and go get dinner. Then we'll head to the common room to finish for the rest of the evening."

"I'm not hungry," she said as she continued to write.

"Merlin, Hermione, you have to eat," he said standing up. "I know you skipped lunch today and I could barely get you to get down a whole piece of toast and cuppa this morning at breakfast. So, no. I am not allowing you to skip supper." By the time he finished talking, his hands were on his hips and Hermione could swear she was looking at a tall, lanky, shorter haired Molly Weasley. She had the feeling if she didn't relent, he would refer to more annoying tactics, so she sighed.

"Fine. I'm just about done with this essay. If you could put those books back for me I'll be finished by the time you're done. Then we'll go." She glanced up in time to see his eyebrow raise in question. "I promise." He nodded, satisfied, and took the books to be put back on the shelves.

As she scratched out the last few lines of her essay, her smile returned. 

They walked to the Great Hall and talked more about the research for Buckbeak's case. Ron told her what he had found and Hermione noted other directions he could take in their research. "I really want to do whatever we can to save him Ron. Whatever we can."

"We will Mione," he said softly as he guided her into the Great Hall. "But neither of us will be any good to him or Hagrid if we're exhausted and starving. You know that right?" She nodded.

* * *

The last Hogsmeade weekend of the year found Hermione, Ron and Harry sitting by the lake watching the giant squid whenever he emerged. The castle was deserted, as it was a gorgeous day and everyone from their year and up had ventured to the village, but the three of them were exhausted from the eventful night they had.

Buckbeak, who lost his appealed, was executed. Professor Lupin was a werewolf (Hermione, however, had already figured this out), Scabbers wasn't really a rat all along but Peter Pettigrew in his animagus form, and Sirius Black wasn't actually the mass murderer everyone thought he was. The only person Sirius wanted to murder was Peter - who was actually the person who betrayed Harry's parents and killed all those muggles before faking his own death. Sirius was to be cleared and Pettigrew locked up once the trio and Lupin got them all back to the castle, except the full moon emerged and Lupin transformed. In the end Pettigrew escaped and Sirius was captured and held for the dementors.

Except he wasn't.

"Okay," Ron said as they were settled in the grass, "now can you please fully explain to me how we went from Buckbeak being dead and Sirius being captured to Sirius escaping on Buckbeak's back? Because none of it made any sense by the whispered bits and pieces I got in hospital."

"I know," Hermione said looking around before settling into the conversation she knew was coming. "I'm so sorry, we couldn't talk about it in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey and so many others bustling around. You also needed your rest so you could get better, so I figured it would be better to wait until you were out anyway." She glanced at Harry, who was lost deep in thought. "But, okay, now I can tell you everything."

She faced Ron fully and pulled the necklace out of her shirt. "This is a time turner. Professor McGonagall gave it to me at the beginning of term and-"

Ron's eyes narrowed in realization. "That's how you've been taking fifty classes all semester!"

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "I wasn't taking fifty Ronald."

"Might as well have been! You had three during one time slot! I knew there had to be some way...but that's still insane! Hermione please tell me you're not-"

"No, I'm not. I'll be dropping Muggle Studies and definitely have no intention of continuing to study Divination. So with those two gone I can proceed next term with an albeit packed, but not overlapping, schedule. I'll be giving Professor McGonagall back the time turner later this afternoon once I see her."

"Good...because that was barmy Hermione. I mean, what were you trying to prove taking so many classes?"

She shrugged. "That I could?" She said weakly. "That I'm just as good a witch as someone who was born into magic? I felt as if just about everyone else had an eleven year head start on learning about magic... That just because I'm muggleborn-"

"Mione," Ron said softly, "you are a brilliant witch. Best I've ever seen, and I've obviously seen many. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. And if someone needs you to then they're just a bloody nutter and you don't need to be in with them anyway." She smiled and didn't even bother getting on Ron about his language. "You're only the brightest witch of our age...everyone says so."

"That's quite a lot to live up to..."

"It is, but I think you live up to it brilliantly. Without the help of a time turner to take 30 extra classes."

"It wasn't 30! I only-"

"I know," he laughed. "I'm teasing. Now," he said lightly fingering the time turner before Hermione slapped his hand away, "what does this time turner have to do with Buckbeak and Sirius? What did you and Harry do?"

Hermione recapped all that happened when her and Harry went back using the time turner - how they saved Buckbeak from death and then went on to save Sirius. She finished just as Hagrid approached to tell them that Professor Lupin was packing to leave. Harry, upset by this news, told them he'd see them later and head off to find Professor Lupin. Once Hagrid went on his way, Ron lay his head back on Hermione's lap. He picked up a quaffle Harry was tossing about while they were talking earlier and started tossing it himself, digesting everything Hermione had just told him.

"Blimey," he said after a while. "I told you...you're brilliant."

"I mean, it was me and Harry. Would have been you too if you weren't-"

"Passed out," he grumbled.

"Injured, Ron. You said yourself, your leg is still a bit achy. We had to leave you behind." She leaned back and began to absentmindedly stroke her fingers through his soft red hair. Ron paused throwing the quaffle for a moment and closed his eyes. He had never felt anything so amazing. Not even when his own mum messed with his hair.

"Oi, Mione?" he called softly.

"Yes Ron?"

"You're...I mean...I know we're best friends and all but...d'you reckon we're...more?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well...I know the three of us are best friends - me, you and Harry. But, I notice that you and Harry have a different sort of relationship than you and I do."

"I could say the same about you and Harry," Hermione said softly.

"We're blokes though...so of course it's different." She made a soft noise in agreement and Ron continued. "But...like I've never seen Harry lay on your lap and you play with his hair. You don't hold his hand sometimes like you do mine. I dunno...I feel like our hugs are even different."

"How would you feel if Harry laid his head on my lap like you are now?"

"Bloody hell...not sure I'd like it very much."

Hermione laughed. "I thought as much." She paused for a moment in thought. "I will say...I would feel weird about it too. Much like you probably would if you were to lay your head on Ginny's lap."

"So...you see Harry as a brother?" he asked hopefully.

She nodded. "And I am pretty sure he sees me as a sister."

"How-how do you see me?" When Hermione didn't respond, Ron sat up to find her looking away and blushing. "Do you see me as a brother?" She shook her head and he smiled. "I don't see you as a sister either." She looked up at him finally and smiled. Especially when she noticed that his ears were as red as her face and neck. "But...you're more than my best friend you know. You're...you're..." Ron's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "You're my Mione."

"Ron," Hermione said quietly, "Why did you start calling me Mione?"

He shrugged. "Sounds a bit like 'mine' doesn't it?" he mumbled a bit embarassed. He was worried about how very possessive that sounded. And how Hermione would take it.

But her face broke out into a full grin. "And you're My Ron." She kissed his cheek and he lay his head back on her thigh grinning just as widely.

"Wicked," he sighed. Hermione agreed as her fingers found their way back to his hair and he resumed tossing the quaffle. 

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Hermione said, "I'll miss you."

"Come to the Burrow this summer. Please?" She nodded smiling. "I'll write, too. To both of you. And I'll call you on the fellytone! Not Harry though...but I'll call you."

"Honestly Ronald," she laughed, "maybe _you_ should be the one taking Muggle Studies!"

Ron laughed too, but then thought about it. Both of his best friends live part of their lives in the Muggle world. Hermione's parents were muggles... He really should know more about it, shouldn't he? Bill, Charlie and Percy all took Muggle Studies.

Ron didn't say anything, but he made up his mind in that moment to take a page from Hermione's book and add just one more class to his schedule next year.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4th year begins and our favorite couple has a lot of emotions happening. Let's see how they handle them.
> 
> Bit of a quiet chapter...maybe a couple of sweet revelations and some friendly fluff. Thank you all for your reviews and kind words! I love that so many of you are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it!
> 
> *italicized/bolded text is straight from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*
> 
> FOURTH YEAR

_Mione!_

_We're going to the Quidditch World Cup! Bulgaria vs. Ireland. I know you're not a huge fan of Quidditch, but you have to come! You promised to come spend part of the summer with me at the burrow anyway. I had already told dad that so he has a ticket for you. Bill and Charlie are here too, and Percy is going, despite his big promotion. More on THAT when you get here._

_Can we pick you up Saturday? Mum's writing to Harry's aunt and uncle now so we can get Harry on Sunday. The match is Monday! Write back as soon as you can and dad and I will come get you Saturday!_

_Can't wait to see you. And Harry. It's been dreadfully boring without you._

_Love, Ron_

* * *

_Ron,_

_Of course I'll come! I know I said I would come to the burrow sooner, but my parents made all these plans for me this summer and I felt so guilty leaving. But I spoke to them and they're actually excited for me to go!_

_Can you and your dad come Saturday morning after breakfast? I'll start packing as soon as I send Pig off with this letter so I'll be ready! And contrary to what you believe, I'm super excited. I mean, it IS the WORLD CUP! I think I can make it through a major Quidditch match like that!_

_Can't wait to see you too!_

_Love, Mione_

* * *

Ron walked up the stairs in the Burrow wondering where Hermione got off too while his mum made him clean the kitchen from supper. She wasn't in the sitting room, and he stopped to check Ginny's room but she wasn't there either. As he climbed up to his attic bedroom he couldn't help but smile. It was good to have her here, in his home. They had spent the whole day since him and his dad picked her up, outside with Ginny in the pond. He was exhausted, and had the feeling she was too.

So he almost wasn't surprised when he opened his bedroom door and found her asleep in his bed. He crossed the room and looked down at her, a small laugh escaping his mouth. She turned her head and opened one eye.

"Sorry," she mumbled yawning. "I was waiting for you so we could talk, but I must have dozed off."

"Well...budge over then." She shifted over to the wall and he laid on his bed next to her. They lay on their sides facing each other and Ron was reminded of the last time they lay like that but in sleeping bags on the floor of the Great Hall.

Hermione smiled. "I love your house."

"I guess...it's nothing like yours. Your house is huge for just three people!"

"Too huge," she said softly. "And empty feeling. Not homey at all. Not like here. It's cozy."

"Yeah...so cozy there's one bathroom for nine people. Eleven with you and Harry here by tomorrow." Ron rolled his eyes. "I just realized what a nightmare that's going to be."

"We'll figure it out," she said giggling. "It won't be so bad. And...I mean...best part is we'll all be together." She put her hand over his and started playing with his long fingers. "Best part is...this is where my Ron is."

Ron smiled brightly at this. "I'm glad you're here." He ran his fingers over her knuckles softly.

* * *

The next evening Hermione stayed back at the Burrow with Ginny while Ron went with Arthur and the twins to pick up Harry from his aunt and uncle's home. Once they all returned, after an apparent mishap to Harry's cousin thanks to the twins, they had a big, crazy dinner for eleven out in the garden and Mrs. Weasley sent them all to bed early.

They were up before dawn for the portkey the following morning, and explored the magical tent and the grounds all around the world cup until it was time for the match.

Hermione thoroughly enjoyed the experience. However she did not enjoy the way Ron, and even Harry, reacted to the veelas. She could have done without their presence.

And then, of course, everything went spare when the Death Eaters who showed up marching through levitating muggles and destroying the grounds, followed by the taunting of Draco Malfoy. (Although, she did secretly love the way Ron defended her. She even heard him mutter under his breath "If he ever says anything about her knickers again I'll kill him."). Her entire night was made, however, upon learning the truth about house elf enslavement by wizardkind and the way that Ron so flippantly defended it. She was furious at him. After they returned to the Burrow to a very relieved Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Ron disagreed a couple more times about the house elves whenever Hermione brought it up, leaving her incredibly exasperated with him. How could he not see how wrong it all was? 

But even so, when Hermione found Ron skipping stones by the pond after supper, she knew something was wrong, and immediately went to his side.

"What's this about?" She asked him tentatively, wondering if he was still annoyed about her feelings towards the elves or if it was something else.

"It's all rubbish," he said angrily. "All of it."

"All of what Ron?"

"Why do we need dress robes anyway?" He asked turning to her. _Oh.... That_. Hermione was honestly relieved. She didn't want to row with him, despite how he felt about house elves. She wanted to enjoy her time here with him and Harry and his family. 

But she could see how upset he was about the second-hand dress robes he received.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. As it is I'll have to send a school owl to my mum when we get to Hogwarts to ask for mine. Hedwig isn't back yet, Errol looks way too tired and Pig...er..."

"Is rubbish," Ron spat.

"He is not. He's just so little. I'm not sure he'll be up for carrying a package with a dress and shoes." She stood a bit closer to him and sighed. "What is it Ron?"

"I told you," he said through gritted teeth. "It's all rubbish. Everything. Everything that's mine. This house, my ruddy owl, my clothes, my so-called dress robes...nothing that's mine is any good. Everything that's mine is rubbish."

"Ron," Hermione asked after a brief silence. "Am I still _your_ Mione?"

Ron looked at her surprised. "Well...yeah...I hope so anyway."

"Am I rubbish?" she asked as she slipped her hand into his.

He smiled and shook his head. "No, Mione. You are definitely not rubbish." He leaned into her bumping her shoulder playfully as she smiled back, happy to at least make him feel a bit better.

"Besides, I already told you that you're house is definitely not rubbish." She gazed back at the crooked dwelling. "I can see myself spending a lot of time here." She leaned into him watching the house as he in turn watched her.

"I'd l-love that," he whispered. She simply hummed in agreement.

* * *

A few weeks later, Ron watched Hermione from across the table in the Great Hall shaking his head.

 _How does she do_ that?, he thought to himself, _She goes from brilliant and amazing one minute, to absolutely barmy the next!_

Ron thought back to the way she made him feel better by the pond back at the Burrow, and then on the train to Hogwarts - Draco Malfoy was talking about Ron's father and his family and all Hermione did was take his hand, remind him that she was there, and he was instantly calm. Her touch, her presence, sometimes was all he needed. 

_Bloody amazing she is. But now look at her! Refusing to eat because she learns that Hogwarts has house elves working in the kitchen? That's completely mental!_ Ron silently cursed Nearly Headless Nick for even saying anything about the house elves in the kitchens and getting Hermione started. Ron had enough trouble getting her to eat when she was in the thick of the school year - this would not do at all!

Ron tried to entice her to eat in his own ways, but the look she finally gave him was reminiscent of his mum - maybe even a bit of Professor McGonagall - so he stopped. Ron always knew when to stop when it came to Hermione. 

He wondered how long she would last not eating. _Might have to write to mum to send her food each morning. Then point out that giving mum the extra work of feeding her was just was bad as the house elves who wanted to feed her!_ Ron shoved a biscuit in his mouth and shook his head at the ridiculous, stubborn, beautifully barmy little witch sitting across from him.

His thoughts that evening were soon interrupted by the arrival of Mad Eye Moody, their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, as well as the announcement of the Tri-Wizard Tournament that would be hosted at Hogwarts that year.

Ron was happy to see Hermione eating at breakfast the next morning, but immediately knew she was up to something the way she ate quickly and ran off to the library. Classes had not even started yet!

He took his own schedule and noted the requested addition of Muggle Studies, though he didn't say anything to Harry or Hermione before she ran off, and the term began.

In the coming days, beside Hermione's strange behavior, she was still his Hermione. She stopped Ron from beating Malfoy into a pulp for once again talking about Ron's family - although Moody definitely entertained them all turning him into a ferret! And in their first DADA class with Moody, she comforted him discreetly as their new professor used spiders - engorgio'd spiders at that! - to demonstrate the Unforgivables. Spiders! But Ron made it through that lesson with Hermione's hand gently rubbing his knee. The feeling was both soothing and oh so distracting in an amazing way.

But even so, Ron knew that Hermione wasn't telling them something, so he was keeping his eye on her. Not that this was much different than usual - he always kept his eye on her. Every mealtime was the same - if she showed up at all. She would eat her food as quick as she could, and dash off to the library.

Finally, after yet another row about the house elves, Hermione revealed what she was working on in between classes. As Ron watched her rattle on about spew, he couldn't help but gaze at her in both awe and amusement. 

_She - is - barking!_ He thought as he watched her give her spiel along with Harry. _But wow, look at her go. I love when she gets so passionate about something. Her eyes sparkle, I swear her hair crackles and gets wilder - like energy is just flowing out of her brain or something. Man I love her-_

 _What?_ Ron shook his head and averted his eyes from Hermione, as if she was suddenly a legilimens who would read his thought.

He...loves her? Sure, he loves her as a best friend - he loves Harry too. But he did already make it clear to her that he saw her as more than just his best friend... He knows he fancies her.

 _But...love? Do I love her?_ He looked back up at Hermione, still chattering away about house elf rights. _Is this what that feels like?_

* * *

Hermione was beyond annoyed at Ron. She almost found their Divination homework funny, but then he had to go and make that joke about house elves. And his face while she was telling them about S.P.E.W., she could tell he thought she was crazy. She couldn't be sure he was even listening! He had that glazed look in his eyes as if he were thinking about...food.

 _Weasleys may be more progressive than other Pureblood families_ , she thought as she watched the boys finish their Divination work, _but they clearly still have those old Pureblood ideologies ingrained in them. Ron and I are from two different worlds!_

Hedwig came in then, with a message from Sirius for Harry. He was coming back north immediately after hearing about Harry's scar and the events at the Quidditch World Cup. Hermione didn't like the thought of that, and could tell that Harry didn't either. After Harry went up to bed, Hermione moved to sit next to Ron, momentarily putting aside her annoyance with him as she seemed to do lately.

"He's worried," she mused softly. "If Sirius gets caught, he'll think it's his fault."

"He will," Ron sighed. "But, I mean, can you blame Sirius? I would come back too." Hermione looked at him questioningly. "Well, think about it. Sirius is Harry's Godfather, yeah? Harry's parents died, so Sirius should be the one caring for him. He lost twelve years of that chance because he was in Azkaban. Now, he still can't, because he's on the run from the bleeding Ministry. But I'm sure he feels like he needs to do what he can to be there for Harry...you know...to make up for that time when he should have been there but couldn't be. Plus Sirius probably feels like who else does Harry have?"

"He has us," Hermione said softly.

"Well, yeah, of course he has us," he said taking her hand, "...but who does he have adult wise?"

"Dumbledore...McGonagall..."

"Professors who have to look after an entire school, Hermione. They can't favor him too much."

"Your parents-" Hermione started.

"Yeah, who have seven children plus Harry and you to look out for. Bad enough with just the seven of us," he mumbled, but then quickly added "but obviously I wouldn't have added you and Harry to the mix if I wasn't okay with that. But anyway, Harry could have had this one adult give him his undivided attention, and that's what Sirius wants to be able to do. That's what he promised his best friend he would do, isn't it? I'm just saying...I get it."

"I don't have Godparents."

Ron sighed and stared into the fire. "Neither do I. My kids will though. I'll make sure they have someone who can look out for them if I can't." Hermione looked at Ron and smiled. Hearing him talk about his future children did something to her. The fact that he thought of his future made her wonder what else he saw...like who was the mother of these future children? Hermione looked away and blushed. _Why is that even relevant?_ she wondered.

As he began to pack up his work on the table, something caught her eye.

"Do you need help finishing this essay?" she asked, grabbing a half filled parchment from the pile.

Ron went a bit pale and reached for it. "No...erm...want to figure it out myself..." He took it and stuffed it in between the other essays, but it was too late. Hermione was able to see that he was writing an essay on Daisy Hookum's "My Life as a Muggle".

"Ron," she asked, looking at him with wide eyes. "Are you taking Muggle Studies?"

He froze and wouldn't meet her eyes. Finally he took a deep breathe, and shrugged, as if he were admitting defeat. "Well - er - I mean...I spent the last three years watching both of my best friends learn all you could about the wizarding world, when I know barely anything about the world you both grew up in. I thought it only right that I learn about your world too. Want to know as much as I can..." Ron was cut off by Hermione throwing her arms around his neck hugging him.

"You're amazing you are," she whispered near his ear. She pulled back and kissed his cheek.

Hermione's eyes were round and damp when she sat back and watched Ron blush and continue packing up his work. Just moments before she was thinking how different he is than her. How he grew up in a completely different world and even thinking about his lack of compassion. But this, this is the Ron she knows and loves. This is her Ron. This compassionate, loving, loyal, brilliantly barking boy...Hermione's eyes shot wide open.

_Loves? Whoa, hold on there Granger. Fancy, maybe...but love? No way._

She stood up abruptly to pack up her own work. "Er...I'm going to go to bed," she said softly.

Ron nodded. "Me too. Want to check on Harry anyway."

"Yes, that's best I think." She picked up her bag and her box of S.P.E.W. buttons and started for the stairs. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night Mione," she heard him say as she headed towards the girl's dormitory.

* * *

Ron had never felt so betrayed in his life. How could Harry? How could he get himself put in the goblet for the tournament and not tell him?! And to figure out a way to get chosen? Despite the fact that a Hogwarts champion was already chosen?

Even Ron had to admit that would be an extremely impressive bit of magic.

 _But still,_ he thought as he walked the corridor back to the Gryffindor Common Room, _he did it didn't he? He's in. And he didn't tell me a sodding thing. Some best friend._

"Ron," Hermione caught up with him panting. Though he wanted to brood alone, Ron subconsciously slowed his long, quick strides. "Ron, come on. I know he didn't put his name in. And you do too."

"Oh, you know do you?" Ron scowled as he continued to walk. "So how else did his name get chosen?"

"I don't know but I plan to find out. I mean really, did you see his face? He was as surprised as we were!"

Ron stopped and faced her, getting low as he growled, "or he was surprised that what ever he did actually worked!" He turned then to continue. "He could have told-"

"Someone put his name in! That's concerning!"

"What's concerning is that he kept it from us! From me." He stopped again and slumped against the stone wall. "He gets all the attention," he mumbled.

Hermione stood in front of him wringing her hands. Ron knew she was feeling out of sorts. Usually it was Harry in the middle of him and Hermione. Never was Hermione the one caught in the middle. "Ron, he doesn't ask for it."

"I had to go and be best friends with the bloody Boy Who Lived," Ron continued his mumblings as if Hermione hadn't spoken.

"That's not his fault! Ron, he needs us!"

"Needs us? He never needs us! He didn't need us to get his bleeding name in the goblet, did he? He only needs himself!" Hermione opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again. They both looked at the ground in silence. After a few moments, Ron broke it speaking softly, "And...why'd you have to go talking up ole Diggory for?"

"What?" Hermione asked, clearly taken aback.

"Bet you're excited he's a champion too," he muttered bitterly, " 'Cept now you have to choose who to cheer for."

"Ron don't be daft," she scoffed. "I wasn't talking him up!" She stared down the hall and huffed. "At least I wasn't ogling him like you were ogling _Fleur Delacour_ ," she emphaszed the female champion's name in her best French accent.

"She's a veela!" Ron raised his hands exasperated. "I know she is! I couldn't help it...you know how veelas effect me - erm - boys."

"Yes, well...learn to control it better." She began to walk and Ron followed suit, eyeing her warily. He really did need to learn to control how the veela girl effected him if she was going to be here all year.

* * *

Hermione spent the next few days splitting her time between Ron and Harry, but found it hard to juggle who to be with and when. Harry needed her, he was nervous and dealing with quite a lot. But Ron...well it's Ron. She wanted to be with him too. She figured this is likely what Harry goes through when her and Ron have their major rows. She vowed to keep those to a minimum moving forward. _If the boys ever reconcile, at least._

Typically she would have breakfast early with Ron, who she assumed was leaving his dorm earlier than usual in order to avoid Harry, as he was never typically an early riser. Hermione figured when he internally battled between more sleep and food, that food won in the end. 

Then, Ron would excuse himself and wander off, again in avoidance, and Hermione would grab food for Harry as _he_ was avoiding the Great Hall. She spent their classes sitting between them and wondered what they did in Divination without her to buffer. She tried several times to get them to talk with no luck. Not even a fight with Draco Malfoy, which landed _her_ in the hospital wing, brought them together as she hoped. They received detention together, and Hermione had a bit of dental work, but once Ron came to see her, she realized it did not at all help her boys find their way.

"I had to deal with bloody Snape alone to get our detention assignment while he gets carted off to a bloody photo shoot! Ridiculous!"

"Language, Ronald," she said glancing around the hospital wing.

"This is all his fault you know," he said ignoring her comment. "And of course you get brought into it and hit with that curse...and does he even care?"

"You know he cares."

Ron exaggerated looking around. "Really?"

"Ron, you know as well as I why he's not here this very moment." She sighed, "Besides, it was not his fault. It was Malfoy."

"Malfoy's a git. A ferret. But he was getting on Harry because of _his_ being in the bloody tournament. Thus... _his_ fault." He sat back and crossed his arms as if his point was very obviously made.

"If it wasn't for the tournament, Malfoy would have found some other reason to get on Harry. Or me. Or you. He's Malfoy."

Ron scoffed, but it was obvious he knew she was right. "Malferret," he muttered.

"What?" Hermione gave a tiny smile at Ron's joke. "Clever Ron," she chuckled. He finally cracked, seeing Hermione smile and laughed. Which made Hermione laugh harder. Suddenly he stopped, watching her intently.

"Mione...you look different." Hermione immediately closed her mouth . _Merlin, he noticed. Of course he noticed._ "Hermione..."

She sighed and dropped her voice. "When Madam Pomfrey fixed my overgrown teeth from the jinx, I...I may have let her fix them a bit beyond how they were."

"Let me see." Hermione smiled awkwardly. Ron smiled back. "You didn't need to do that, your smile was already...I mean you were always..." He looked down embarassed. "You look nice."

"Thank you." She took his hand in hers and smiled wider as they settled into more comfortable banter.

* * *

Ron was pissed off. Pickling rat's brains? Of all the idiotic ways to spend two hours...even for a detention! And with his so-called "best friend" at that.

Ever since Harry's name came out of that goblet, it's been all about him, but what else was new. Ron couldn't even walk the halls without hearing "Harry Potter" this and "Harry Potter" that.

Not even the sudden emergence of the "Potter Stinks" badges could cheer Ron up...it was just more attention, wasn't it? What was that muggle saying his dad had said a few times? Something about even bad attention being good attention? Yeah...that was it. Harry Potter, the boy who lived...the fourth - underage - champion. Ron scoffed and shot a glare at the be-speckled black haired boy in the dungeons with him, pickling his own rat brains.

 _Maybe he'll mess up and pickle his own brain,_ Ron thought angrily. Harry looked his way and met his glare.

Then, that bloody article! What was with that?

_"I suppose I get my strength from my parents"...he can't even remember his parents!_

_"Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them"...what the bloody? I've slept in the same room as him for most of the last 3 years and I have never heard him cry in his sleep!_

Of course this last revelation from the article earned Ron an angry note from his mother...

_Ronald, I am very disappointed in you! You know how much your father and I care for Harry and yet you don't tell us that he's been having these difficulties? You should have told me he cries at night! I know you know!..._

And on and on she went. _Yeah, mum, I do know...I know he's full of waffle!_

But there was one part of the article that repeated itself in his mind all day long, no matter how he tried to remove the very thought...

_"Harry has found love at Hogwarts...Harry is rarely seen outside of the company of one Hermione Granger..."_

His Mione? _His_ Mione? Ron glanced up at Harry again. _There's no way..._ , he thought. But his mind was reeling and his heart was thumping heavily in his chest at the thought.

* * *

Hermione forced herself to get lost in her work for as long as she could, but after just an hour or so, it was no use. She sat in the library staring at the blank parchment in front of her and worried. She worried about her best friend and his involvement in this tournament. She worried about whether her boys would ever find their way back to each other, and what that would mean for either of them if they did not. She worried if she would ever be able to focus again or if the two prats she cared about would forever rule her thoughts.

She needed to focus on something else, and obviously her schoolwork, surprisingly, was not it.

"Is someone sitting here?" asked a gruff voice with a thick accent, shaking Hermione from her thoughts. She looked up to see the Durmstrang champion, Viktor Krum, standing beside her, his books in his hands. "The other tables are full."

"No, no please," she motioned for him to sit. As he took his seat she glanced around and noticed that there was space at a few other tables, but shrugged it off. "C-congratulations on being champion for your school," she said.

"Thanks," was his only response. They sat quietly for a moment, until Krum sighed. 

"What are you working on?"

"Potions...it has never been my strong point." Krum motioned at his opened Potions book and empty parchment in front of him. She lit up with the prospect of helping someone.

They spent the next hour or so working on homework, with Krum asking for Hermione's input every so often. A couple of times the conversation veered away from homework, such as when he asked about her mention in the article.

"That was a loud of nonsense from that awful Skeeter woman. Harry and I are just best friends, nothing more." She blushed as she thought of Ron, and how the same could not be said if it was him.

Krum nodded and smiled. "You had more mention in the article than myself...or the other two champions."

"I told you...that Skeeter woman is awful. She writes the most vile things and twists everything about. I'm not surprised in the least. You would need a scandal attached to your name to get a solid mention, I'm afraid."

"I will pass on this, thank you." Hermione laughed at his disgruntled face.

A few minutes after Krum left, Hermione was about to pack up himself when Ron stormed into the library and dropped roughly in the seat beside her.

"Detention went well?" Hermione asked. Ron grunted, crossed his arms and looked away. "What did you have to do?"

"Pickle rat's brains," he mumbled under his breath.

"That sounds....lovely. Did you and-" but Ron turned to her abruptly and cut her off.

"Are you and Harry...I mean the article...is there any truth to it at all?"

Hermione's eyes opened wide. "Ronald! How could you even think such a thing?" At the outraged tone in her voice, his entire demeanor immediately softened and he slumped in his seat. "You listen to me Ronald Weasley...you know good and well that everything that woman wrote in that article was WRONG. I would say the only correct thing was the names of the champions, but even those were misspelled and one was missing, weren't they?" Ron nodded and looked down. "We talked about this...my feelings have not changed. This is nothing more than the banter of a lonely, bitter, middle-aged witch who wants to start trouble to sell papers. That article has no truth." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it. "And I'm not just talking about _my_ presence in it... _nothing_ about it is true." 

* * *

Despite her best efforts, Ron and Harry continued their stand off against one another. Hermione was exhausted of them. She started to spend time with each just once per day - typically Harry first thing in the morning and Ron in the evenings before bed - and otherwise kept her head down in the library. Viktor joined her a few times for homework help and conversation, and admittedly made for a nice distraction, but even that was tiring as his noisy fan club often turned up as well.

She tried to bring the boys together the Saturday before the first task, which was a Hogsmeade weekend...but that was a futile attempt.

The next morning during their walk, Harry told Hermione about the dragons and his conversation with Sirius. Suddenly the task had so much more weight to Hermione, which only heightened her state of worry. She dropped her focus on the boys momentarily and spent the first part of the day in the library with Harry researching how he could possibly defeat a dragon, only leaving when Viktor showed up followed by his noisy group of fans. She sent a friendly smile Viktor's way but left the library with Harry.

Monday, the answer came to Harry, and Hermione spent all of her free time helping him until two in the morning.

* * *

Ron found Hermione in the Great Hall Tuesday morning for breakfast. He sat beside her and she pushed a cup of tea his way with a cheery but sleepy "Good morning, Ron".

"Thanks," he mumbled taking a sip of the teat to wake him up. It was sweetened just how he liked it. "Good morning indeed. Where were you last night? I was looking for you...didn't see you most of the day actually."

"I know, I'm sorry." She dropped her voice and leaned in, "Harry figured out how to manage today's task so I spent the day helping him prepare."

Ron scoffed. "Has a plan then has he?"

"You should hope he does, Ron!" she hissed angrily. "Do you want him heading into battle with a dragon with no plan?"

Ron shrugged. Truth be told, when Hermione told him that the first task was dragons, he couldn't help but feel nervous for Harry. _But he asked for this...didn't he?_

"Well...lucky the git had you to help him." Hermione sent him a glare as he began to pile his plate and tuck in.

A few hours later, however, Ron's feelings changed drastically. He was feeling sick and guilt was brewing inside him. As he stood beside Hermione and watched each champion battle their dragon, he was growing more and more nervous. 

Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory had both faced off against their dragons, and next up was Viktor Krum, who Ron had told himself he would cheer for instead of Harry just to spite. But when the Chinese Fireball was brought out by the dragon tamers, Ron dropped into his seat. 

"Ron, what's wrong?" Hermione sat beside him concerned.

"Diggory had the Swedish Short-Snaut," he counted off, recalling Hermione telling him the breeds of dragons Harry had seen the night Hagrid snuck him into the woods, "and Fleur the Welsh Green...a-and now Krum is up isn't he? Against the Chinese Fireball..."

"Ron...?"

"That leaves the Hungarian Horntail, Hermione." When she looked at him blankly, he let out an exasperated puff of air. "Charlie talks about Horntails all the time, Mione. They're...they're bloody vicious!"

"He'll...h-he'll be alright Ron. He has a plan. A really good one." Hermione, however, looked worried and started to ring her hands nervously.

They watched Krum face off against his dragon, then it was Harry's turn.

Ron felt all the anger and resentment of the last few weeks melt away, as if the very breath of the Horntail was blown on him as he stood beside Hermione gripping her hand and watching their best friend. He cheered when Harry summoned his Firebolt, gasped when he caught a whip of the dragon's tail to his shoulder, and then finally, Harry got the egg...faster than all the other champions! Ron yelled for his best mate then hugged Hermione turning her around.

"He did it! He's okay and he did it!"

Ron followed Hermione down to the medical tent where he watched, apprehensively, as Hermione congratulated Harry. He noticed that Harry's eyes were only on him...Ron took a deep breath and spoke...

**_“Harry,” he said, very seriously, “whoever put your name in that goblet — I — I reckon they’re trying to do you in!”_ **

**_“Caught on, have you?” said Harry coldly. “Took you long enough.”_ **

Ron didn't know what to say. That he was stupid to think...or that he should have known...or...sorry. He would start with sorry. He opened his mouth but Harry cut him off.

**_“It’s okay,” he said, before Ron could get the words out. “Forget it.”_ **

**_“No,” said Ron, “I shouldn’t’ve —”_ **

**_“Forget it,” Harry said._ **

**_Ron grinned nervously at him, and Harry grinned back. Hermione burst into tears._ **

**_“There’s nothing to cry about!” Harry told her, bewildered._ **

**_“You two are so stupid!” she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front._ **

Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione. She hugged them and then ran off crying. Barmiest witch he knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ron just notices everything about his Mione doesn't he? I just can't take how sweet they are <3
> 
> 3rd year was in 2 parts, but 4th year will likely be in 3. So that means...Yule Ball next? Get your glass slippers ready (wink) and I'll see you all in a few days!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter starts with a little headcanon of mine. Because not only do I know and love how possessive Ron is of Hermione, but I really believe that he is so observant of her, that he notices every little thing...so surely he would notice a significant CHANGE in Hermione...wouldn't he?
> 
> And then we'll get into....The Yule Ball! Happy reading!
> 
> FOURTH YEAR

December came and the trio felt more relaxed with the first task now behind them as well as the boys reconciliation. Ron found divination fun again, they were able to commiserate about Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts together, and Ron had someone to secretly roll his eyes to about Hermione's house elf obsession. (Although, he had to admit that Dobby was really growing on him. So much so that he promised him a Weasley sweater - which also, Ron noticed, pleased Hermione.)

But Ron was taking notice of something else about Hermione that troubled him. It seemed as if she had these "off" days all of a sudden where she was miserable and moody, but more than that she looked peaky and as if she was in pain.

Ron had first noticed in the beginning of September, right after they got to Hogwarts. She actually missed the morning classes one day that first week, which for Hermione was unheard of, and when she finally showed up to lunch she seemed uneasy and pale.

"You alright?" Ron asked concerned. "You look a bit peaky and-"

"I'm fine Ronald," she snapped, cutting him off. She hugged at her middle and looked away. He was a bit hurt by her short response, but more than anything, he was worried. Something was obviously wrong, and seemed that way over the next few days. But then, she was back to being herself again, obsessing over classes and house elves and harping on Harry and Ron about their homework...so Ron figured that whatever it was, had passed.

Around the first week of October, however, it happened again. Then, he noticed that she was out of sorts for another few days right after Halloween. He watched her try to discreetly take a potion at breakfast, then, to his astonishment - and slight amusement as he recalled the way she admonishes his need for sweetened tea - she put sugar in her tea and then nibbled on biscuits rather than reaching for her usual healthier breakfast. 

Each time, however, she was fine after a few days. But Ron was really concerns, and didn't know who to ask. She clearly didn't want to talk about it, as he asked a couple more times and each time was met with the same short response. It didn't seem that Harry knew or even noticed a difference in her, so asking him would likely be futile. He thought about asking his mum but realized that she would only swoop down and mother Hermione which would very likely embarrass her...then set her off at _him_. Ginny, Fred and George were out of the question, Bill and Charlie seemed pretty distant lately so he didn't want to take this to them, and dad was...well...dad.

So, he decided he would ask Percy. Percy would know. He wouldn't tease Ron and he would take his concern seriously (maybe _too_ seriously but in this case that was okay). 

_Hiya Perce,_

_Hope you're new job with Mr. Crouch is going well. We're all good here at school, especially now that the first task is over. That was a bit scary, but we're settling back into the normal school stuff now for a bit._

_Anyway, I'm worried about Hermione and I wanted to ask if you might know what could be going on with her as she won't tell me. She seems to get sick and miserable off and on, like for a week or so, then she's fine until a few weeks later...She won't open up to me or let me help but I can tell she's miserable. No one else really sees it but I do. She's peaky, totally off her routine and normal eating habits, and I'm pretty sure I noticed her warm a heating bag at one point so I think she's in pain too! But whenever I ask her, she snaps at me. You know more about different illnesses and stuff...could this be something muggles get? We didn't cover much on illnesses in Muggle Studies yet. Did I tell you I added Muggle Studies? Not a big deal really, McGonagall let me add it to my schedule this year. Anyway, please let me know what you think. I'm really worried._

_Thanks, Ron._

Percy's response came a couple days later at breakfast. Hermione had started acting out of sorts two days before, the day he sent the letter off to Percy, so Ron assumed that when she came to breakfast that morning she would still be...the same. Ron noticed that whatever it was took around a week to go through her system until she was okay again.

He opened Percy's letter discreetly, so Harry wouldn't really notice. He was busy talking to Neville anyway...listening to Neville talk about plants, actually.

_Dear Ronald,_

_Everything here at the Ministry is going splendidly. I do say I could be up for a promotion very soon as Mr. Crouch is extremely impressed by my leadership skills and work ethic!_

_I'm sorry to hear about Hermione, but I have a feeling I know what is going on, as Penelope started having the same "issue" fourth year as well and later opened up about it when we were dating. Pity that these sort of things are not covered in our education. The girls are taught all about it, of course, but to leave the boys in the dark seems foolish and unwise._

_Anyway, from what you're describing, it sounds as if Hermione has began her "lady time" or her monthly bleeding. Penelope explained it to me and it sounds dreadful._ _You see, as girl's reach a certain age, typically around fourteen or fifteen as Hermione I believe now is, they begin a cycle each month that down the line allows them to become pregnant. But as they're not getting pregnant at such an age, it all flows out of them each month then the process starts all over again. There's a lot more to it and we can discuss it further another time, but what you need to know is this: Each month around the same time, women bleed for a few days, and with that comes some abdominal pain (likely what she was using the heating bag for) and typically a bit - or a lot - of irritability. As you can imagine, we would be right miserable if we were bleeding from our genitalia and in pain for a week each month. Some other things I noticed with Penny during her times, that may help you: she craved more sweet items, she took a potion for the pain which also made her sleepy, she snapped at me very easily so I took care not to upset her too much during that time, and she never, ever wanted to actually talk about it, least of all with me. As you can imagine, it's a slightly embarrassing thing for girls. So I would keep this correspondence between us, b_ _ut do what you can to make her life easier during those days. I'm sure she would appreciate it. I'm proud of you Ronald. The level of maturity you've shown in this situation is notable. Take care of her, and yourself._

_Percy_

Ron read the letter over twice then put it away and thought hard. Percy was right, this sounded downright dreadful. He looked around the Great Hall and wondered how many other girls in his year started this monthly bleeding thing. His eyes landed on Ginny...he was sure she hadn't, she was a year behind after all, but Ron vowed to keep an eye on her for changes as well. 

He snapped out of his thoughts when Hermione joined the table. "Morning," she grumbled. 

"Morning Mione," he said softly, leaning into her slightly. "How are you?"

Hermione seemed surprised by his tone and looked at him intently. "I...I'm okay." He nodded as she reached to pour herself a cup of tea. Ron immediately pushed the sugar closer to her then grabbed a couple of biscuits and slid them onto the plate in front of her. He also passed her a cup of fruit. 

"There's strawberries this morning, they're pretty sweet. Have a bit rather than just the biscuits today?" Hermione nodded, her expression a mixture of shock and appreciation. 

Ron smiled. From Percy's description, there wasn't much Ron could do, but he was happy to know that there were at least a few things he _could_ do to ease her discomfort.

* * *

"I'm not going, mate. You should...take Hermione." Ron was sulking in their room a few days later, following the announcement of the Yule Ball.

"Ron...come on. You can't not go!" Harry looked at Ron expectantly. "We'll have fun, come on! You go with Hermione and I'll...I dunno, I'll find someone."

Ron leaned forward on his bed to lower his voice. "If you think I'm going to the ball with the prettiest girl in this school wearing those _rubbish_ dress robes, you're barking mad, mate."

A smile spread across Harry's face. "Prettiest girl in this school, huh? Did you tell her that?"

"Shut up, Harry," Ron said laying back on his bed. "And I'm serious."

"Ron, be straight with me, you don't want me to take her, _you_ want to take her."

"Of course I want to take her!" he almost yelled. "The thought of her going to a ball with anyone else makes me sick!" He looked away and cursed under his breath, then spoke quietly. "Except for you...I'll still feel a little sick, but I know you won't...you know..."

Harry shook his head, "No, you know I won't. But I'm not taking her. You are." Ron began to protest. "You're taking her Ron so you better ask her before someone else does because I'm not!...unless you want her going with...I dunno...Cedric Diggory," Harry teased - Ron grunted and scowled. 

Harry thought for a moment and watched Ron before saying softly, "You can always let me buy you some new robes."

"No Harry!"

"Come on, call it a Christmas present...I'm sure if I owl Madam Malkin they can be here in plenty of - "

"Harry!...No. That's too big of a gift, even from my best mate. I'll never be able to repay you or get you a gift that even comes close. So, no. Don't." Harry nodded. 

"I'm serious though, she wants to go with you. And knowing Hermione, she won't care what you're wearing. Although she may scold you if you show up in a Chudley Canons shirt," Harry chuckled, "but she'll still go with you." Despite himself, Ron let out a laugh and rolled his eyes.

"I'll...think on it."

"Don't take too long though, mate. You said she's the prettiest girl in this school...you may not be the only one to think that."

* * *

Hermione had been in the library helping Viktor Krum with his Potions work for the better half of an hour when she announced she was ready to call it a day and head back to her common room.

"Her-my-own-ninny," Viktor said softly, "I wanted to ask you something." Hermione stilled her movements to look questioningly at him. "I wanted to ask...if you do not have a date yet, if you would allow me to escort you to the Yule Ball?"

A surprised smile spread across her face. "Viktor, I'm flattered honestly," her smile faded and a look of concern came across his. "I...well...the thing is...I...can't. Sorry." She packed her bag and did her best to ignore the fallen look on his face. "I'm really sorry Viktor. I'll see you soon, yes?"

He nodded and bid her goodnight.

Hermione head back to Gryffindor Tower and thought about what just happened. Why would he ask her? Of all people? He had crowds of girls trailing after him daily (although the library had become somewhat quieter as Madam Pince had begun kicking girls out.) 

Did Viktor...could he fancy her? Hermione Granger?

_No...there's no way...he just doesn't know very many people here so I was a first logical choice. Yes, that's it._

Even so, as she climbed through the portrait hole into the common room, she made a note to herself to pull back from their study sessions. She didn't want Viktor to get the wrong idea.

She found Harry sitting at a table working on an essay and sat beside him. "Where's Ron?" she asked as she pulled out her own work.

"Upstairs brooding."

"Since when does Ron brood? That's..."

"My thing?" he asked looking up at her. Hermione shrugged as if to say 'well, you said it'. Harry laughed. "Too much time around me I suspect."

"Well, what's wrong?"

"Um...well...he says he's not going to the Yule Ball," he mumbled almost inaudibly then looked at Hermione again, seeming to gauge her response. 

Her face fell. "But...why not?"

Harry shrugged. "You'll have to ask him. He told me to ask you, but something tells me you'd rather not."

At this Hermione huffed and stood abruptly heading up to the boys dormitory. She missed the sly smile on Harry's face.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione yelled throwing the half closed door wide open. Ron leaped off his bed with a yelp. "Why would you tell Harry to ask me to the ball?!"

Ron's shoulders slumped. "Oh...asked you after all did he?"

"No he did not. And for the record if he did I would say no! Just like I-" Hermione shook her head. "I don't want to go with Harry, or anyone else for that matter." She was approaching him as she spoke and poked a finger at his chest saying "you know good and well who I _want_ to go with! Who I expect to ask me!"

"Mione," he sighed and dropped onto the side of his bed. "I...I can't go."

"And why not?" She crossed her arms and waited for an answer but it never came. He just looked angrily at his trunk. She followed his gaze and suddenly he understood. "Ron...they're not r-"

"They are! Hermione you can't possibly tell me that you're okay showing up to that ball on _my_ arm while I'm wearing _those_ robes and you look gor-...ama-...better. You deserve better."

She stepped forward and placed a hand on his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Ron...Honestly? I don't care what you wear to the ball. You can show up in one of your Chudley Canons shirts for all I care. I just want you there...with me. I want to go with you. So just...ask me."

Ron laughed. "Harry said you would say that...about the Chudley Canons shirt."

"Well...I only half mean it. Don't wear an orange shirt."

They were silent for a moment until Ron took a deep breath. "Mione, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"Yes," she answered. "Of course I will." She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close. "There is absolutely no one else I would go with."

* * *

Hermione was reading when Harry and Ron came into the common room. She quickly and discreetly changed the cover of the book to show the cover of a muggle fairy tale she used to read just before the boys plopped down on either side of her on the couch.

"What are you reading?" Ron asked poking the book. "Cin-der-ella?"

"Muggle fairy tale," Hermione answered quickly. "Harry...do you have a date yet?" He shook his head. "You know who you could ask," she glanced at Ron nervously, "Ginny would love to go and the four of us would have fun together."

"Ginny?" Ron said suddenly sitting up straight. "Why Ginny?"

"Well, why not?" Hermione asked. Ron thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"I guess....what do you think Harry?"

Harry thought for a moment. "I think going with Ginny would be fun. Thanks Hermione."

"She's in the library if you want to ask her...in case someone else wants to," Hermione said pointedly.

Once Harry set off for the library, Ron turned back to Hermione and threw his arm around her shoulder leaning in. "So, what's this muggle fairy tale 'Cinderella' about?"

"Oh...um...well...basically this young girl is treated horribly by her stepmother and stepsisters after her father dies, and they make her wait on them hand and foot. Then, they won't allow her to go to a b-...party at the palace that everyone is going to. After they leave for the party, her fairy godmother comes and she helps her get ready for the party anyway. She...uses transfiguration technically-"

"The fairy godmother is a witch?" He cut in confused.

Hermione laughed, "in a sense...she uses magic at least. Makes a pumpkin into a carriage, makes a torn dress into a ball gown, and makes her slippers into glass slippers."

"That kind of transfiguration would impress the hell out of McGonagall," he chuckled.

Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled before she continued. "But, the thing is, she only has until midnight then everything will change back. So, she goes to the party, the prince meets her and falls in love with her-"

"In one night?" Ron scoffed. "That's silly."

"It's a fairy tale Ronald. Besides, you've never heard of love at first sight?"

"I mean...I guess. But does that truly happen?"

"It can..."

"I like getting to know someone first," Ron mused. "Being friends...really getting to know them...you know."

"Yes, I know." They gazed at each other for a moment before Ron broke the silence.

"So, what happens?" Hermione looked confused. "In the fairy tale?"

"Oh! Well, she runs out on the prince at midnight but leaves a glass slipper, so he uses the glass slipper to search the whole village until he finds her because it will only fit her foot. He finds her and she becomes a princess and they live happily ever after."

Ron laughed. "That's barmy."

Hermione shrugged and sat back on the couch and settled more comfortably into his arms. "A bit. But most of these fairy tales are," she laughed.

* * *

Ron woke up Christmas morning excited but with a lingering feeling of dread. He was excited about Christmas, he was excited about the ball, he was excited about taking Hermione...

But he was dreading wearing those awful robes.

There was nothing he could do about it now, however...Hermione made it clear that she didn't care. So he would put on those robes, take her arm, march into that ballroom...

And hope that everyone was too busy paying attention to the champions, that they'd barely notice him.

The day went by pleasantly. The boys opened their gifts then joined Hermione for breakfast. They spent the morning in the common room lounging around and enjoying their presents before heading down for a pretty big lunch. Then after lunch, the Weasleys and Harry had a snowball fight outside while Hermione watched. Ron notice her say something to Harry then sneak off a little after five.

"Where's she off to?" Ron asked.

"Says she's going to get ready," Harry answered nonchalantly.

"So early?"

"I dunno...she said something about her hair."

Ron shrugged and immediately took a snowball to the back courtesy of George.

Finally, around seven, the boys head inside to freshen up and change. (Ginny disappeared shortly after Hermione.) Harry and Ron head to their dormitory and Ron reluctantly pulled off the blanket that covered his hanging robes.

His jaw dropped.

"These aren't...wait...where are my robes?"

Harry looked at the dress robes hanging on the counter. "Those look to be them, mate."

"Harry," he rounded on his friend, "what did you do? I told you not to-"

"I didn't do anything Ron," Harry said throwing his hands up. "But it looks like there's a note there. Why don't you read it?"

Ron had not even noticed the note that fluttered to the floor when he took the blanket off. He picked it up and recognized the flowing, slanted writing immediately.

_To my Ron,_

_Surprised? I thought you would be. Now, I told you that I don't care what you wear - that I only cared about going with you - and I truly mean that. However, I know that YOU care, and I really want you to enjoy tonight as much as you want me to enjoy it. So I went to the library, did a bit of research, and taught myself a new spell that I daresay would make Professor McGonagall proud! The spell I did is not permanent, however - that spell was a bit more advanced but I'll get there. This one only lasts about six hours - so that will take us to a bit after midnight. I guess that makes you MY Cinderella tonight? Get dressed and I'll see you shortly, Mione._

Ron smiled and looked over the robes again. The whole set was now a deep, navy blue instead of the awful maroon. The lace along the collar and cuffs were gone, with both now ending in neat folds. The patching along the robes were blended in so well you had to get really close to see them. And most of all, it no longer looked - or smelled - moldy.

They looked good!

Ron couldn't stop grinning as he and Harry dressed and head downstairs to wait for Hermione and Ginny. 

"She did really good," Harry commented.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Harry shrugged. "I had an idea what she was up to. She told me to make sure you didn't go back to the room until at least half 6 at the earliest...she wanted to surprise you."

"Well...it worked." Ron brushed his sleeves and was so busy admiring himself that he almost missed Hermione's entrance. Harry nudged Ron and nodded, wide-eyed, toward the stairs.

Hermione, on a normal day, was beautiful to Ron. But tonight, she looked absolutely breath-taking. Her normally wild and bushy hair was tame and sleek, twisted together at the back of her head. Her robes were flowy and a lighter blue...almost purple? Ron noticed color on her eyes, cheeks and lips, and when she reached him, she seemed taller - but just a bit.

She looked amazing and her smile was the brightest Ron had ever seen.

"Hi," she said nervously when she reached him on the bottom stair.

"Wow...hi," Ron managed to breath out. "You look amazing. Beautiful."

Hermione's cheeks flushed pink. "Thank you. You clean up nicely, yourself...Cinderella."

Ron rolled his eyes. "You going to call me that all night?" She laughed and shook her head no. "Good. Well...thank you. So much, for what you did. I mean...this is amazing and you didn't have to and -"

"I wanted to Ron," she said smoothing the collar of his robes. "I want you to feel good tonight. I want tonight to be special for you...for us." Their gaze lingered until Ginny made a noise signaling that she and Harry were waiting by the portrait hole to depart.

Ron shook his head slightly then gave Hermione as dashing a lopsided grin as he could muster as he held up his arm. "Shall we?"

Hermione giggled as she took his arm. "I believe we shall."

* * *

The entire night was absolutely magical. As Hermione walked - no _glided_ \- back to the common room later that night, her shoes in one hand and Ron's hand in her other, she felt as if she were on a cloud. They were laughing and humming/"singing" one of the Weird Sisters songs as he twirled her and she danced down the hall.

She never danced so much in her life. Her and Ron didn't seem to stop once they started, and Harry and Ginny were always close by. Sometimes the four of them danced together, sometimes Hermione danced with Ginny while the boys stepped away for drinks, but mostly Hermione was in Ron's arms - through fast songs, slow songs, and ever song in between.

The way he gazed at her all night, Hermione almost felt as if she was the one with veela powers. In fact, she realized, at one point, Fleur Delacour came over to say hello, and Ron didn't even react, did he?

 _Maybe I'm his veela now._ Hermione giggled at the thought as Ron gave the password to the Fat Lady and guided her into the common room.

"What's so funny?" He asked with the raise of an eyebrow.

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing. Should we wait for Harry? I saw Cedric pull him aside. Ginny was waiting for him with Luna and Neville."

"If it means I get a few more minutes with you...sure." Hermione's pulse raced as she looked up at him. His arms went around her waist and pulled her close just as they had so many times tonight as they danced. Hermione dropped her shoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Tonight was amazing Hermione."

"It was. Thank you for asking me."

"Thank you for making me," he chuckled as she gave him a tiny slap to the shoulder. "Thank you for saying yes. And for what you did. You're amazing. And beautiful. And I..." Ron stopped suddenly, his blue eyes looking fiercely into her brown ones.

"You...what Ron?" 

As if in slow motion, his head lowered to hers. His lips brushed lightly against her own, as if to test the waters. Hermione pushed up on her toes to meet him as he claimed her lips with his. Hermione sighed into his mouth as he held his lips to hers, almost possessively. She kissed him back gently, lovingly, her hands toying with the silky hair at the nape of the back of his neck.

He pulled back but rested his forehead against hers. "Wow."

She chuckled. "Yeah."

"Happy Christmas Hermione," he whispered.

"Happy Christmas Ron."

Hermione stepped back just as Ron's clothes began to transfigure back to moldy maroon and ancient lace. "Is this the part where I run off up the stairs?" Ron joked. "Should I leave a shoe so you can find me?"

Hermione laughed. "I'm the one with no shoes!" As he slid one of his off she laughed even harder. "Ronald I am not walking around with that huge shoe!"

"At least you know it can only be mine," he shrugged and smiled sheepishly. He glanced around the common room which was still blessedly empty. "I'm going to head up...before anyone sees me in this...ancient..." he sniffed it. "Merlin I smell like my great aunt Tessie..."

"That's...lovely Ron." She shook her head smiling. He led her to the staircase and they stopped where the stairs split. "Goodnight," she said softly.

Ron leaned in to kiss her once more. "Goodnight, my princess charming," he whispered with a grin. He watched as she made her way up the steps to the girls dormitories then head up to his own.

* * *

Ron was counting their kisses. He wasn't sure why, he just enjoyed keeping track of each kiss they shared. They were currently at ten...he felt as if that was an accomplishment. And the fact that the tenth kiss was a New Years kiss made it that much more special.

They had spent the week between Christmas and the new year hanging out in the common room with Harry and the others, catching homework, brainstorming about the egg with Harry, and stealing moments here and there with Hermione.

Their first and second kisses were the night of the Yule Ball. Third and fourth were on Boxing Day - one in the morning and one in the evening. The fifth was Wednesday - two days later - and the sixth, seventh and eighth were all Thursday. They had taken a long walk in the afternoon and stopped a few times to warm each other up. Ninth was Saturday, and their tenth was Saturday night just as Hermione's watch said midnight.

Now it was Sunday and they were on the couch in front of the fire in the common room. Harry had head up to bed a few moments ago and since it was late, Ron and Hermione were the only two left. Once they were alone, Ron stretched out in what had become his favorite position - with his head on Hermione's lap. She sighed and immediately began to stroke his hair as his eyes fluttered closed and they sat in comfortable silence.

"Ron?" He hummed in response. "When did we become....well...I mean..."

Ron opened his eyes. "What _do_ you mean?"

"Am I your...am I your girlfriend?"

A big grin slowly spread across his face. "I'd say you are." His grin switched to one of concern. "I-if you want to be that is."

"Are you asking me?"

"I don't have to," he answered somewhat confidently. Hermione looked at him questioningly. "You already are...but if you don't want to be..."

"I do want to be," she said quickly. "But if I'm already your girlfriend, when did it happen?" Ron shrugged. "I need to know!"

"Why? What's the big deal? Can't we just be happy that you are? Cause I bloody well am."

"Language, Ronald." He rolled his eyes. "And I need to know." Ron huffed. "Was it the night of the Yule Ball?"

Ron shook his head. "No...we were already...you were already..." he scratched his head, confused. "I dunno, I reckon it was third year sometime."

Hermione nodded, but then pushed. "I need a date."

Ron sat up and faced her. "Seriously, Hermione? A date? Do you need the time and moon location too?"

Now Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "No," she huffed, "but I need to know the date. We need to decide on the date we became boyfriend and girlfriend so we can have an anniversary."

"An anniversary?"

"It's a date that couples celebrate -"

"I know what an anniversary is Hermione, I'm not daft! I mean why do we need one?"

"Because I want one! A day to celebrate US and how we came to be. So think, Ron...when did we become us?"

"Okay, fine...merlin's saggy left - sorry! I'm thinking." Hermione watched him expectantly and he smiled when a memory came to him. "Alright...I can tell you exactly when it happened. You remember that day - "

"No."

"Oi! Let me finish! So impatient." Hermione giggled and Ron knew she was just taking the mickey. "It was the day after we - well, you and Harry anyway - saved Sirius and Buckbeak." He could see the realization cross her face.

"Yes," she said smiling. "We were by the lake and you were laying on my lap, just like you just were."

Ron nodded and leaned in, putting his arm around her. "And I called you my Mione. You asked me why I started calling you Mione..."

"And you said cause it sounds like 'mine'," she sighed.

Ron nodded as his fingers played with a curl near her ear. "That was definitely the day. I mean, you were already mine long before that, but that was the day we established it wasn't it?"

"June 7th then," Hermione whispered. "June 7th is our anniversary."

"June 7th sounds good to me." Ron leaned in for kiss number eleven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're cute. So obviously, while I wanted them together sooner, I still wanted a bit of the fumbling, slow build up. They're still young, awkward teenagers but they're not afraid to let each other know how they feel...even if their still a bit scared of their own feelings themselves! 
> 
> Still more to go in fourth year! Unfortunately we have not seen the end of Krum, and we all know they have Harry to take care of! As always thank you so much for reading and thanks in advance to those who leave kudos and reviews! See you soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing on through fourth year! This chapter will take us through the second task and a bit beyond. Let's see how this plays out!
> 
> My only warning? Jealous Ron alert ;)
> 
> FOURTH YEAR

Once the holidays passed by and the new term started, the trio realized just how close the second task was for Harry and the other champions.

"Do you reckon we should wait to tell Harry?" Ron asked Hermione. They were sitting in the common room in their usual spot near the fireplace. There were a few lingering students nearby, but Harry had since sulked off to bed after Hermione berated him for not having worked out the clue for his egg yet. "About us, I mean. I'm worried he'll...I dunno..." He shrugged, unable to get his thought across.

"Oddly enough," Hermione sighed, "I know what you mean. He has so much on his mind with the tasks, I don't want to worry him about us as well. I mean," she sat up straighter and leaned into Ron a bit, "it's not as if anything's drastically changed between us, has it? We're still...us."

"The kissing is nice though," Ron gave her a lopsided grin which she met with a reproachful shove to the shoulder. "I'm joking! Okay...I'm not."

Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. She obviously thought the kissing was a nice addition to their relationship too, but she wasn't going to voice that when he was being such a prat. "Well, I think we just don't...announce our...TITLES just yet...or kiss in front of anyone, not that I'm a fan of such public displays anyway...at least not until after this task. We focus on Harry and helping him, and keep him focused too. But that means we can't let ANYONE know because he has to find out first. If he doesn't know, then no one knows."

Ron made a face but nodded in agreement. "I guess...Yeah, I don't fancy him finding out from anyone else. He has to hear it from us. After the task." He thought for a moment then looked around before whispering, "I can still kiss you when it's just us though, yeah?"

"Oh honestly! Is that all you think about!?" But her smile and blush betrayed her attempt at a reprimanding tone.

In the next few days, Hermione also became distracted by Hagrid's article and absence. Their trip to Hogsmeade was disrupted by a squall between Rita Skeeter and Hermione as she defended Hagrid and gave that vile woman a piece of her mind. Ron expressed to Hermione that he was worried the Daily Prophet writer would come after _her_ now. Hermione just shrugged the notion off and turned her mind back to he important thing...helping Harry. And once he did work out the clue in the egg, the focus turned to figuring out the almost impossible task of helping Harry breath under water for an hour.

Hermione was in the library before breakfast the morning before the second task. She was doing a bit of research before it was time to meet the boys in the Great Hall. The three had spent the last few days using their lunchtimes, breaks, evenings and weekends to look for a solution to Harry's clue. She had started waking early to go to the library before breakfast on her own as well - Harry and Ron were not early risers as she was. 

"Good morning Hermy-own-ninny," came a gruff voice behind her. "You are here early."

She smiled slightly. "Morning Viktor, just doing a bit of research before class." He sat beside her as she continued skimming the book she found on charms in different elements, hoping for a charm that could assist under the water. She was just about to tell him she wouldn't be able to assist if he needed any Potions help today when-

"I did not get to tell you how beautiful you looked the night of the Yule Ball. I have not seen you since." Hermione couldn't help but notice the sad sound of loneliness in his tone. She put the book down and turned to him.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry for that. It's been a busy month since term started. I hope you've been getting along well enough in Potions? I can...er...well it will be a few days before I can find the time to offer any assistance I should say."

"I'm doing alright so far in Potions. But I do miss studying with you." Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but wasn't sure how to, so she closed it again...but Viktor continued. "You went to the ball with that boy who is your other best friend?"

Hermione looked down and thought quickly. What she really wanted to do was tell Viktor that Ron was more than just her best friend, that he was her boyfriend. She was really getting the distant feeling that Viktor harbored feelings for her, but having not had any other experience with this sort of thing outside of Ron, she couldn't be sure. She still thought him just lonely and she was a friendly face. _Besides, I can't tell Viktor, Harry has to know first. He could just be trying to make conversation after all. Why in the world would he fancy me?_

"Yes," she said simply, "Ron, Harry and Ginny - that's Ron's sister - we had a fun time together at the ball. Did you?"

Viktor nodded. "I asked a girl from Beauxbatons to accompany me, we had a nice time." Without any emotion to his face, Hermione found it hard to tell if he really did have a nice time or if he was just saying that. "I wanted to ask you if -"

"I'm sorry Viktor," Hermione took note of the time on the clock behind him, "I really have to go. I must grab something to eat before my first class. We'll talk soon." Completely missing the disappointed look on his face, she pulled her books together as she spoke and stood to go. Then she paused and turned back to him. "If I don't see you before, good luck tomorrow," she said sweetly. She walked away and out of the library before he could say another word.

 _As soon as this task is over, we're telling Harry,_ she thought as she hurried to the Great Hall and to find her boys. _It's not fair to Viktor if he really does fancy me. But, really...me? He's an international sports star for Godric's sake. No...there's no way Granger...it's all in your head, surely._

Although she still could not fathom the thought of her being fanciable by an older, famous wizard, she couldn't ignore the feeling that she should distance herself from him just in case. She realized with a slight smile that the thought of him taking a liking to her definitely did not even make her happy in the least...she never wanted to be fancied by anyone except for the wizard who was now hers.

As she stepped into the hall for breakfast, she scanned the Gryffindor table and smiled giddily when her eyes landed on a head of vibrant, red hair. _There's my boyfriend,_ she thought, then internally chastised herself for sounding like such a girl.

* * *

Ron walked the corridor beside Hermione later that night to Professor McGonagall's office confused. They were frantically helping Harry figure out what to do when his brothers came to tell them that they - Ron and Hermione only - were needed in McGonagall's office.

"What do you reckon she wants with us?" he asked quietly, once Fred and George veered off towards the common room.

Hermione shrugged, and Ron noticed she looked a bit anxious. He took her hand and squeezed it. "Harry'll be okay..."

"We haven't found a solution, Ron," she said exasperated. "He's going into this task almost blind and I'm so worried. And now this interruption...plus...I have a really bad feeling."

"Do you think we're in trouble for helping him?"

"I'm sure the other champions have help...that would hardly be fair. If that were the case they would have told us distinctly not to help him."

Ron knew she had a point there. The professors especially knew that Harry would have the aid of the two of them, they would have said something.

Cho Chang and a young Beauxbatons girl with silvery blonde hair were approaching McGonagall's office just as Ron and Hermione did. They looked at each other questioningly, then Ron took the lead and knocked.

Dumbledore opened the door. "Aaahh, good, you're all here. Please," he ushered them inside. Professors McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick were all inside waiting. Once the door was shut behind them, Dumbledore surveyed them with a smile. "Our most missed things have arrived."

"W-what?" Ron questioned.

Dumbledore chuckled, but Ron noticed that Professor McGonagall looked uneasy. " _An hour long they'll have to look_ ," Dumbledore recited wistfully, " _t_ _o discover what we took_...you four, are what has been taken from our champions to recover. What our champions will sorely miss. So, if you please, we haven't got much time. Mr. Weasley you will stay with me, Ms. Chang you will see Professor Flitwick, Ms. Delacour you will see Professor Sprout - that's her right there - and Ms. Granger you will see Professor McGonagall." The four all dispersed to different corners of the grand office with their respective professors. 

"Professor...I don't understand," Ron said. He looked around and noticed that each professor was speaking softly to their own student.

"You, Mr. Weasley, are the thing - or person - Mr. Potter will miss the most. You are what he'll have to fight for to rescue tomorrow, his treasure he'll have to retrieve. But no fear," he said quickly upon seeing Ron's stricken face, "you will be well protected and safe, whether he succeeds in his rescue attempt or not. You all will. Now, please sit and relax, this won't hurt a bit. You'll simply be...asleep."

As Dumbledore raised his wand to move over Ron, his mind raced. _If I'm Harry's, then who..._ he looked over at Hermione to see her round, surprised brown eyes staring back at him. The last thing he saw was McGonagall's lips clearly forming the words "Viktor Krum" before everything went black....

* * *

Hermione gasped and her lungs filled with air. She sputtered and looked around confused...the Black Lake. She was swimming in the Black Lake. A hand reached for her and pulled her towards the shore...where it seemed as if the entire school plus more were waiting. As she became more aware of what was happening, she looked over to the hand helping her swim.

Viktor.

They reached the shore and Madam Pomfrey immediately threw towels over her shivering body. The cheers and noise was deafening, and yet she barely heard any of it. Her eyes scanned all around her frantically.

"Ron...Harry..." she said softly.

"They've not emerged yet," Madam Pomfrey said briskly as she tended to her, casting warming charms and checking her breathing. "Mr. Diggory and Ms. Chang were first, followed by yourself and Mr. Krum."

Hermione eyebrows furrowed as her mind worked hard to catch up.

McGonagall's office...the spell she was put under. McGonagall's brief explanation.

_"Am I the thing Harry will miss most then?" Hermione asked her Professor._

_"No, Ms. Granger, that would be Mr. Weasley. You're champion is Viktor Krum."_

_No,_ she thought, _no...how can I be...oh no..._

She sat staring at the Black Lake, willing two heads - one with black hair and one with red hair - to surface. _Where were they?_

"Are you alright?" Viktor's voice asked beside her. "I tried to get to you as fast as I could..."

"I-I'm fine, Viktor, thank you," she answered awkwardly, not sure how to address him at the moment. She wanted to set him straight, but at the moment she could only think of her boys. "Just...worried."

"Your friends will be fine. I saw him, Harry...he would not leave you down there but he saw when I fetched you. He should be right behind with the one with red hair."

Hermione grimaced. _The one with red hair...My Ron._

"Hermy-own-ninny, I wanted to ask you...if perhaps this weekend...I thought that we could go to Hogsmeade," he delicately picked something out of Hermione's hair, "silly beetle...anyway, I thought the two of us could-"

Hermione yelped, jumped up and threw her towels off of her. Ron and Harry were moving towards the shore with Fleur Delacour's little sister. "Ron!" she called. "Ron! Harry!" She hugged Harry then threw her arms around Ron and then pulled back. His face turned from love and relief...to hurt and anger.

* * *

Ron stalked across the grounds, still wet and still angry. He resisted the urge to run straight to the castle, knowing who was directly behind him.

"Ron," Hermione called frantically. "Ronald! Will you please look at me!"

Ron finally stopped and turned to looked at her. They were in a shaded area on the grounds, away from where everyone was still gathered by the lake but far enough from the castle not to be seen. 

She was a bit drier than him, but not much, and her usually bushy hair still hung in wet ringlets all around her. Somehow, though, he knew her hair would dry even wilder than ever. He almost smiled at the thought.

Almost.

"I-I don't know how it came to be that I-"

"You don't know?" Ron almost bellowed before catching himself. "You don't know?!"

"Ron-"

"You were _Viktor Krum's_ most missed thing! How did that happen Hermione? I didn't even know you know him that well! Let alone that you had become so close that he cares for you that much!"

Ron was angry...but more than anything, he was hurt.

"Will you let me please explain...I'm trying to understand as well as you." Ron shot her a look, but didn't say anything, so she started to speak. "I was thinking about it all as I sat waiting for you and Harry to come up from the lake, and as I ran after you just now...it still doesn't make much sense to me, because it was all innocent...friendly, but obviously meant more to him."

"What are you on about?" he growled.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Viktor and I...well, I should really say that _I_ would sometimes be joined by Viktor while I studied in the library. We never planned to meet or anything. He sat at my table one day and we got to talking and I helped him with his Potions work. Usually we only spoke of schoolwork, but sometimes we talked about more. I was just being a friend to him Ron, you have to understand. He seemed so lonely. No one really _talked_ to him, girl's just followed him around. And isn't that the point of all of this? International relations. So, I was friendly and would assist him a bit. We studied a few times, but to me it was just that...two people studying. I never realized that perhaps he saw it as anything more until he asked me to the Yule Ball-"

"HE WHAT?"

"-and I obviously said no-"

Ron scoffed, "yeah, because you were already stuck with me."

"No," she said sourly, "he asked me before you did, as a matter of fact. But I already knew that we were meant to go together. Didn't I say exactly that to you that day? That there was no one else I wanted to go with? Not even Harry!" She took a breath to calm herself. "Anyway, after that we luckily got busy so I was able to keep my distance a bit. I didn't know if he asked me because he only really knew _me_ or because he perhaps...well, anyway the feeling was not mutual and I didn't want him getting the wrong impression."

"Well obviously he did," Ron said. "How come you never mentioned this to me?"

"I didn't feel it was anything to mention." He huffed angrily, clearly not liking that response. "That just shows how insignificant it was _to me_ , Ron. Am I supposed to tell you every single time I speak to any boy? Of course if he had blatantly came onto me I would have told you...but Merlin Ron we were just two people studying in the library! How was I supposed to know he fancied me of all people?"

Ron groaned and slumped to sit against a tree. "He fancies you. Bloody ruddy Viktor Krum fancies you."

"Ron," she sat beside him. "It's just a crush, and I will set him straight. Immediately."

He looked at her. "How am I supposed to compete with an international Quidditch player?" he said weakly. Who was he compared to Bulgarian superstar Viktor Krum and his -

"What?" Hermione almost screeched. "Compete? Who's competing?" She searched his eyes and seemed to understand. She faced him completely and took his face in her hands. "Ronald Weasley, you listen to me. There is no competition. I. Am. Yours. No matter who fancies me. You are the wizard I want. YOU."

"It's just...I'm so afraid of some bloke coming along who can give you so much more than I can, who's better than I am and stealing you away."

"Better than you? Stealing me away? What do you take me for some blithering fan-girl looking for the next best thing? I don't want whatever you think he or any other bloke can give me that you think you can't. You have been my best friend since first year and my Ron since third year. YOU are my boyfriend. YOU are all that I want. You are mine."

He pulled her in for a fierce hug, their wet robes still cold to the touch, but warmth resonating from the two. "And you're mine," he whispered low, possessively. 

She was in his lap now, and she pulled back, her face close to his. "That I most certainly am." She kissed him hard on the mouth as if to run the very point into his head.

 _Thirty-six,_ he thought to himself. She pulled away and then placed another. _Thirty-seven_. Another. _T_ _hirty-eight_. This time, she didn't pull away. With a whimper she parted her mouth slightly and he ran his tongue along her lips experimentally. She opened for him further and their tongues met sloppily but eagerly. 

_Bloody hell, this isn't a kiss...this is a snog._ Ron stopped counting kisses that day...he wasn't sure how to count snogs. He decided he would just enjoy them - kisses or snogs - from here on out.

* * *

The article came out a couple days later.

_*Harry Potter’s Secret Heartache_

_A boy like no other, perhaps — yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter._

_Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss._

_Was it not enough that Miss Granger decided to attend the Yule Ball with a ginger wizard we learned to be one of the many Weasley boys leaving poor Harry to take the youngest sister of said family? No, then, the plain but ambitious girl, set her sights even higher than Harry._

_Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys’ affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, and has been seen studying with her on several occasions, is moving right ahead setting up dates in Hogsmeade and the like, while she seems quite uncertain, still running back into the arms of young Potter._

_However, it might not be Miss Granger’s doubtful natural charms that have captured either of these unfortunate boys’ interest. “She’s really ugly,” says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, “but she’d be well up to making a Love Potion, she’s quite brainy. I think that’s how she’s doing it. She probably took Weasley to the Yule Ball because she couldn't get her hands, or potions, on Krum or Potter in time. Or couldn't make up her mind. No way she'd settle for the likes of Weasley if she could get the famous Harry Potter or a star like Viktor Krum, eh?”_

_Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter’s well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate. I hear tale that the young girl who accompanied him to the Yule Ball seemed quite enthralled by his presence._

Hermione stared at the paper in front of her, anger pouring through her. She honestly didn't know what to be most angry about, the things said about her or the things Pansy Parkinson said about Ron.

Beside her, Ron wasn't eating. She glanced over and saw his jaw flexing, his face as red as his hair, his fists in tight balls above the table. Hermione stood up from the bench. "Come on," she said to Ron. "You too," she added to Harry.

She led them to a classroom and closed the door. "Harry," she started, "Ron and I have something to tell you."

"Finally admit you're more than friends, have you?" Harry said with a small smile.

"Wha-?" Ron looked at their best mate.

"You knew?" Hermione asked. Harry shrugged.

"Always have. It's not hard to see, especially being that I'm always with you two."

"You...okay with...I mean," Hermione trailed off.

"Am I okay with it? Of course I am! Just...not so much snogging in front of me. That's my only request."

Hermione breathed out and smiled. Ron nodded. "Okay, now that that's done, and Ron knows undoubtedly that the things said about me and Harry are once again not true," she looked pointedly at Ron who nodded, "now we can set this whole mess right and let everyone know. Viktor especially. And put that thought out of everyone's mind too. Then, maybe find a sneaky way to hex Pansy Parkinson and deal with Rita Skeeter," she muttered.

Ron's face got dark again. "What's this about Krum taking you to Hogsmeade?"

"Oh, he was saying something about accompanying me to Hogsmeade," she said brushing it off, "but you two surfaced just then and I ran off and...but...Skeeter wasn't...how did she know?" Hermione paced thinking. "She wasn't even at the second task. Did either of you see her?" They both shook their heads. Hermione stamped her foot. "Ugh I hate that woman! The things she said about you, Ron-"

"I'm not worried about me, Hermione, she made you out to be some sort of Scarlet Woman!" Hermione raised her brow at him and he shrugged. "S'what my mom calls them." She noticed, at least, that the tension in his jaw and fists were gone...his face much less red.

"Well, regardless, I want to set this straight. Make sure everyone knows that Ron is who I'm with...not Harry or Viktor."

"Do you think that's wise now though, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione looked at him surprised.

Ron thought for a moment. "Yeah, I don't fancy giving that woman more to say about you. Adding me to the picture, that'll be three blokes this year. She's clearly after you and-"

"But you already _are_ in the picture!" Hermione cried. "You're the only one in the picture! We went to Yule Ball together, she already mentioned you. And to say those evil things about you, I could just...ugh!"

"Yeah, but far as they all know you went with me as a friend." He took Hermione's hands. "I want to stand in the middle of the Great Hall right now and shout to the lot of them that Hermione Granger is my girlfriend, but not if that means there'll be more to say about you. I don't want them to have any reason to come after you."

"Right," Harry chimed in. "I say let this blow over first, before you let the true nature of your relationship be known."

Hermione sighed. "I supposed you both have a point...it would look even more scandalous on my part wouldn't it?" She groaned in frustration then said, "I _am_ telling Viktor though!"

"Oh, you are _definitely_ telling Vicky," Ron said through gritted teeth, a bit of fire flashing in his blue eyes. "Otherwise I will."

Harry laughed. "Let's allow Hermione to handle Vicky, eh Ron? Come on...we'll be late for class."

As the hate mail started to roll in over the next few days, Hermione realized just how right Ron and Harry had been. "Can you imagine what kind of mail you'd get if they realize you're _actually_ dating my best mate?" Harry asked her quietly the next morning as owls dropped off howlers and other grotesque letters for Hermione.

She shuddered. "No...I don't want to."

Harry, at least, made it very clear to everyone who asked or mentioned it or even so much as hinted at it that he was not in love with Hermione and never was. It was a few days later before Hermione finally got a moment to speak to Viktor in, what Hermione hoped, was private.

She had the feeling he would be in the library hoping to find her so she sought him out. Ron demanded to come with her, but promised he would keep his distance and not make a fuss.

"There he is," she said quietly. "Wait here, I'll be quick." She nodded to Ron as he reluctantly took a seat a couple tables away. She felt his eyes watching her intently as she approached Viktor.

"Hermy-own-ninny," he said as he noticed her walking up. He stood to pull out a chair for her but she stopped him.

"No, that's fine, I'm not staying," she said. "I just...we need to have a quick talk."

"I-uh...alright." He sat back down. He noticed Ron sitting nearby and nodded at him. "The way he is watching me, has me thinking this is about him."

"We have not made this public knowledge, so I would appreciate your discretion, but yes...Ron is my boyfriend. He has been for quite some time." She sighed as she watched Viktor's face pale. "I'm sorry that you thought this," she gestured to them, "was more than it was. You've been a wonderful friend Viktor, but nothing more. And if I had known that you saw me as more than a friend, I would certainly have said something sooner."

"I am sorry too," he said sadly. "I hope that my having to rescue you did not anger him."

"We worked it out," she said curtly. "We're fine. But now with this supposed love triangle Rita Skeeter has put me in with you and Harry...well you can understand why we think it best not to make our relationship public knowledge just yet."

"You have my word...I will not say anything."

"Thank you." She paused, unsure how to properly leave this conversation. "I'll...um..." she nodded towards Ron and the door.

"Yes, of course." He stood to acknowledge her departure. "I am sorry again, and please give...him," he nodded at Ron, "my apologies as well. If I had known..."

"I will, thank you Viktor. I'll... see you around." She walked back towards Ron who stood once he saw her coming.

"How'd it go?" he asked as he glanced darkly back toward Viktor. 

"He apologized for thinking it was more than it was, and he sends you his apologies. He obviously didn't know and feels badly."

"Oh," was all he said. He glanced back again as he held the door open for Hermione to exit. But she noticed that with this glance, his face was not quite as dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Some parts of the article are quoted from Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire - which I do not own, if you haven't guessed.*


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FOURTH YEAR comes to a close in this chapter. From preparing for the third task to the train ride home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a shorter one as we wrap up 4th year. Enjoy! Mostly some fluff amongst the canonical chaos surrounding their best friend. Enjoy!

"Hi," Hermione smiled as she stepped out of Ancient Runes to find Ron waiting for her. She must have noticed the nervous look on his face and glanced around. "Where's Harry?" Usually both Ron and Harry met her after their Divination class.

"He left class early," he said as he grabbed her bag without a second thought and swung it over his shoulder along with his own. "He fell asleep during Divination," he continued quietly, "and woke up screaming. Had a dream and his scar was hurting."

Hermione gasped. "Well, where did he go?"

"Hospital wing, he said, but I checked there already...figured that wasn't really his plan. Asked Professor Trelawney if I could leave a few minutes early to check on him. She let me go after she droned on and on about having best friends to look out for one another and how Harry needs that because his moon is in Saturn and he's surely going to perish or some such." Ron rolled his eyes at the thought.

Hermione shook her head, but was too distracted to comment. "If he wasn't in the hospital wing, where do you think he went?"

Ron shrugged, "dunno. Figured we'd head back to Gryffindor Tower. Check the dorms and if not just wait in the common room for him to turn up. I can check the map too I guess." Hermione nodded.

But when they reached Gryffindor Tower and Ron checked the 4th year boys dormitory, Harry was not there and neither was the Marauder's Map. So the two of them settled in at the table closest to the fireplace to get some work done while they waited - at Hermione's insistence, of course - but Ron found he was too distracted to work. 

And apparently, so was Hermione.

"Your mum hates me." Ron looked at her startled and followed her eyes to the Easter egg wrapper someone recently threw in the rubbish bin. He suddenly remembered the Easter egg she received from his mum, which was smaller than the rest of theirs.

"Oh come off it Hermione, she does not," he said softly.

"She does. She thinks I'm playing Harry. Or worse...she thinks I'm playing you."

"She doesn't even know about us."

Hermione looked at him. "She's your mum...I'll bet she does. And you're currently cohorts with, what is it she calls it, a scarlet woman?" He thought for a moment, and figured that, as usual, she was probably right. At least about his mum knowing. Definitely not about the scarlet woman thing. Hermione was the farthest thing from.

Ron scooted his chair just a bit closer and discreetly took her hand, squeezing it. "She does not think that, Mione. And if she does," he continued as she began to protest, "I will set her straight. I'm sure Harry will too. And if we have to drag Vicky to the Burrow, so will he." Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's nickname for Viktor Krum but smiled despite it. "We'll make sure my mum knows that I'm the only bloke in your life and that those articles are all lies."

"Okay," she whispered. 

Harry turned up then, and after Hermione fretted over him about his scar, he told them about his adventures in Dumbledore's office and that he already sent a letter to Sirius. They discussed it all a bit more until Harry said he didn't want to talk about it any further, and they settled into homework.

"Oi, Hermione," Ron said after a few long silent moments. "I'm really trying to understand this whole electricity stuff for my Muggle Studies essay...but I'm still a bit confused."

Always up for the task, Hermione immediately went into a long winded yet animated explanation about how electricity works and how he could explain it best in his essay. Ron did his best not to just gaze at her in adoration and actually look as if he was following her every word. 

After a while, she remembered a book she had upstairs that would help and ran off to fetch it for him.

Harry laughed as Ron watched her head off. "I can explain it too, if you're still confused. I know she said all that really fast."

"Nah, no need. I totally understand it," he chuckled. He laughed even harder at Harry's confused expression. "I just love watching her explain things. She gets so excited and into it...her eyes sparkle and her hair gets even wilder as if it's coming to life...have you noticed?"

"No," Harry said with a knowing smile as Hermione came excitedly back down the stairs. "No, can't say I have."

* * *

As the final task loomed closer, Ron and Hermione continued to help Harry . The night Harry found out about the maze, he came back super late (Ron and Hermione were only still awake because they started snogging in the empty common room and didn't want to stop) and the stayed up until even later discussing the appearance and disappearance of Barty Crouch. But once Sirius wrote back to Harry a couple of days later and told him to focus on the third task, Hermione wholeheartedly agreed and they put all their energy on preparing Harry. Once again, they spent their free time in the library researching and then in empty classrooms practicing hexes Harry might need.

When the day of the task arrived, Ron was surprised but happy to see his mum and Bill had shown up to support Harry. 

"Good thing, isn't it?" Ron said to Hermione at lunch. "I sometimes have to remind myself that Harry really has no family...except Sirius but he obviously can't be here."

Hermione nodded, but was glancing nervously at his mum. "Yes, I'm glad he has someone here for him. Your family is his family, after all." She glanced at his mum again who looked at her coldly...so unlike her. Ron groaned but Harry must have noticed the look too because he whispered something to Ron's mum just then. She looked at him and he nodded as if to say 'I'm serious' and she looked back at Hermione and smiled. And this time the smile was genuine.

By the time they were in the stands Ron could tell that Hermione felt more at ease...about his mum anyway. After the champions entered the maze, they were chatting away like old pals as he stood next to Bill.

"I think she needed to hear it from Harry," Bill said quietly to Ron.

"What?"

"She didn't want to believe everything that Skeeter wrote...mum, I mean. But she did. She was most upset about you. She knows how you feel about her. But then she was upset about Harry too."

"What did Harry say to her?" Ron asked.

Bill shrugged. "The truth. He simply told Mum that him and Hermione were not ever involved nor did either of them have feelings for the other. He also told her that the whole thing with Krum wasn't real either." Ron nodded, relieved. "Blimey, that Skeeter woman really did a number on Hermione."

"And she knows a lot more than she should," Ron added. "I think Hermione has an idea or a plan or something though." Ron thought about the way she ran off just that morning after an article that mentioned Harry's incident in Divination came out in the Daily Prophet.

"I wouldn't doubt that," Bill chuckled. "Bright witch that one is." Ron grinned. 

_And she's all mine_ , he thought smiling to himself.

They all waited - Ginny, Bill, Ron, Hermione and their mum sat in the stands for quite some time wondering how Harry was getting along in the maze. Bill seemed extremely concerned when Fleur Delacour was brought out of the maze and taken to Madam Pomfrey's tent. A while after that Viktor Krum was brought out too.

"That leaves Harry and Cedric!" Hermione said excitedly. "So, at least one of Hogwarts will take the win regardless!" Even through the excitement, Ron could hear the tremor of worry in her voice. He squeezed her hand.

It seemed as if hours had passed - and then everything happened so quickly.

Ron caught a glimpse of the sudden appearance of two bodies - one of them was definitely Harry and he assumed the other was Cedric Diggory. There was a shout of "He's dead!" and Ron's stomach lurched. Hermione clutched his arm and didn't let go. Ron used his height to keep an eye on the situation and could just see Dumbledore stand Harry up.

"I see Harry," he said to them. "He's standing...he's okay!"

"So...who's-" Hermione was interrupted by a loud anguished cry.

Cedric Diggory was dead. 

* * *

Ron sat in the hospital wing and stared at his sleeping best mate. He wasn't new to this, having sat by his bed side at least once a year since their first...but this time felt different.

 _Ominous_ , Hermione had said.

He looked up at Hermione. She was watching Harry intently, tear marks still staining her cheeks. She shuddered and hugged herself, drawing her knees up to her chest on the chair. Next to her, Ron's mum looked Harry over as well. Every once in a while she would adjust his blanket or wipe a tear from her eye.

Ron knew it was getting late, but he also knew that the three of them weren't likely to leave Harry's side for quite some time. After Dumbledore's argument with Cornelius Fudge, most everyone else had dispersed. Only the three of them were left with Harry, and then in the far corner of the wing, Madam Pomfrey was quietly fussing over Mad-Eye Moody. The real Mad-Eye Moody, apparently.

Ron shifted his gaze back to Hermione and she sniffed. She looked scared...Ron wasn't sure what to do in that moment for her. Then, he thought back to a moment in the common room just a couple weeks before.

It was the night when Harry found out about the maze. Ron and Hermione sat by the fire, ready to wait for his return. As it got later in the night, the common room began to clear out. Ron was so deep in thought - completely disregarding his Charms reading - that it wasn't until Hermione snuggled into his side that he looked around and realized they were alone.

"It's late," he mused. "Wonder where Harry is? What's keeping him?"

"I don't know," Hermione sighed. "But I don't like it."

Ron put his arm around Hermione and pulled her close. He loved moments like that, when she would openly get close to him - seek him out for comfort. He noticed, though he wouldn't mention it in case she felt self-conscious and stopped, that even when others were around, Hermione still found little ways to touch him. Just moments ago, she was sitting with her feet up on the couch they shared, her toes tucked under his thigh. Other times, she would sit on the floor near his feet, and lean against his leg. When they were in the great hall or at a table in a classroom, she would sit so their thighs would touch or their feet rested against one another under the table. In the corridors she often wrapped her arm around his as they walked. It was never anything that screamed that they were in a relationship...they were just subtle enough that no one really noticed or that if it was noticed it could just be perceived as a friendly gesture.

But once they were alone, she seemed sidled up to him, looking for his warmth and embrace.

They sat in silence for a bit watching the fire. After a while she chuckled softly.

"Did I ever tell you about my Lambie?" she asked.

"Your what?"

"When I was little, I had a stuffed baby otter named Lambie. My nanny at the time, she was from America and called it a lovey - my thing that I sought out when I needed comfort. I called him Lambie."

Ron laughed softly. "Your _otter_ was named _Lambie_?"

"Don't make fun!" Hermione said, swatting his chest and feigning indignation. "I was two or three! Anyway, Lambie always made me feel better. When I was overwhelmed growing up, holding Lambie calmed me...kept me grounded. His smell was one of the only things that truly relaxed me." She snuggled in closer and rubbed her nose into his chest. Ron swore she sniffed his shirt. "I think you're my Lambie now."

"Blimey, Mione," Ron pulled her as close as he could and breathed in her scent. He kissed the top of her head. "Does that make me your lovey?" He smiled and she beamed up at him. 

"Totally makes you my lovey." 

Ron snapped himself back into the present before he got lost in the wicked snogging that happened after that conversation. Looking at Hermione across from him, scared and so worried about their best friend and what the events of tonight really meant, he knew what he needed to do. _She needs her lovey...her Lambie._

"Mum," he whispered. "Mum, switch seats with me?"

Molly looked as if she was going to protest but then nodded and stood up. Ron walked to the other side of the bed and took the seat his mum vacated, pulling it close to Hermione's chair. He put his arm around her tightly and felt the moment she sighed and allowed herself to melt into him.

Ron felt his mum's eyes on them as he comforted her, but he didn't even care.

* * *

The train ride back to Kings Cross a couple of weeks later was a quiet affair. Ron, Hermione and Harry sat in their own compartment for much of the journey. Ginny joined them for a while but went off to another compartment once again. Harry, though still subdued after everything that happened, was in slightly better spirits as they talked about everything but what occurred just a couple weeks before. Ron was just glad he wasn't brooding at the moment.

The highlight of the ride was when Hermione showed the boys her new...pet beetle.

Ron stared at Hermione in complete awe as she explained how she deduced that Rita Skeeter was an unregistered animagus who could turn into a beetle, how she trapped Skeeter in the hospital wing, and then proudly showed her off in her new home for the next little while - a jar that Hermione charmed to be unbreakable.

"So...that's Rita Skeeter?" Harry asked in wonder, looking in the glass at the angry bug. Hermione nodded triumphantly.

Ron continued to stare, completely gobsmacked.

"Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Erm...H-Harry, didn't you need to er head to the loo or look for Ginny or...something?" Ron shifted in his seat and gave Harry a look.

"No...what are you on ab-" Ron deepened his look. "Oh...Oh! Erm...yeah I'll uh...hit the loo and then look for Ginny...yeah...I'll be back in a bit...later...a bit later," Harry said with a smirk as he got up to leave the compartment. Hermione looked at Ron questioningly.

"Ron? What-" Hermione was cut off when Ron pulled her into a kiss.

"You're so bloody brilliant," Ron said as he pulled away a bit. "Have I told you that?" She smiled and nodded. "Sometimes I really don't think I deserve you, you're so brilliant."

"You do deserve me Ron," she whispered. Ron grinned. 

Suddenly, he took the jar and held it up to his face. "See this?" He kissed Hermione full on the mouth making sure the jar was held up in view. "Not Harry," he said to the jar. He kissed Hermione again. "Not Krum," another kiss. "Me. Ronald Sodding Weasley," another kiss. He turned to the jar and held it close. "If you ever get to write again, make sure _that_ makes the cover," he growled.

He shoved the jar deep in Hermione's bag and pulled her back in, prepared to snog her until Harry returned or the train pulled into the station - hoping that there was a lot of time until either occurred. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I originally planned to update this more frequently, but other things (like 50 First Dates, and life) have been slowing me down! But have no fear...I'm still keeping these chapters coming.
> 
> Summer before 5th year should be fun right? Loads of time together before Harry arrives...wonder how our two lovebirds will do as they get adjusted to Grimmauld Place? Happy reading!

"Oh, come off it Hermione," Ron said with a chuckle as his head lay on her lap looking up at her. "You can't honestly tell me, that you and Vicky spent all that time in the library together and you never once noticed a...a look or any sign that he fancied you."

Hermione shrugged and plucked a tall piece of grass from beside her, rolling it between her thumb and forefinger. "I told you," she sighed. "I never noticed a thing. We studied. I helped him with potions. If he was looking at me or pining after me....I had no idea."

Ron sat up and faced her. They were sitting in what had become their spot since they returned from Hogwarts the previous week - in a clearing surrounded by tall grass near the burrow. From where they sat, you would have to be on Ron's manky old balcony to see them... Or sitting on the burrow's roof.

"He never... flirted with you? Complimented you or some such? Tried to...tried to make a move or anything?"

Hermione thought. "There was one day he told me my hair looked pretty," Ron pointed and made a triumphant sound. "But I took it as he was just being polite! He never made a move on me... had he and I would have definitely removed myself from his company. And as for flirting...I mean how would I know? No one's ever flirted with me."

"Oi!" Ron huffed in indignation.

"Ronald," she rolled her eyes, "you never flirted with me. You just came right out and...I don't know...claimed me as yours."

"You make it sound as if you were some prize I won at a carnival," he chuckled.

She smiled. "I am a prize," she cheeked.

"That you are my little lambie," he said softly as he leaned in for a kiss. Ron marveled in the fact that it didn't matter how many times their lips touched...every time felt magical. 

"I promise you," Hermione whispered when he pulled away. "I wouldn't take notice of any boy fancying me...because all I care about is that YOU fancy me."

"Oh, I more than...agree." Ron had to think quick on his feet. The truth was he more than fancied her. He realized that he very well loved her. She occupied his every daytime thoughts and his nighttime dreams - both innocent and not. And lately they were growing a lot less innocent. Ron was only fifteen, but something told him that she was it for him. He knew that he didn't even want to think of any other girl. And he was happy to hear that she didn't want to think of any other boy.

But was it too soon to tell her he loves her? What is she's not there yet? No, he had to be sure first. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable or like she _had_ to say it back. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that she fancied him as much as she did; that an international quidditch star was interested in her and yet she still only had eyes for him.

As he swiped a curl from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear, he gazed into her deep, brown eyes. There was no doubt he loved her. None at all. And, he couldn't be sure, but he could almost see love starting back at him.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Hermione looked around the table and smiled. She'd never felt so comfortable in a home that was not the one she grew up in before. If she was being completely honest, she honestly felt more at home at the burrow than she ever did in her family home. 

The Burrow was a stark cry from the Granger resident in Hampstead. Where the Burrow was loud and warm, constantly filled with laughter, people and the amazing aroma of something baking or cooking, the Granger residence was cold, quiet, sterile and so lonely. She loves her parents, of course, but she couldn't tell you the last time her own mum wrapped her in a bear hug so tight she thought she'd burst, or sat with her to have a cup of tea.

Mrs. Weasley had done both just that day. (Although, Hermione also had the feeling that Mrs. Weasley was still feeling awful about the way she treated her when Rita Skeeter was printing her rubbish.)

Hermione also knew, that a part of it was now her safety. She felt...exposed at home. She couldn't do magic, and obviously neither could her parents. With the return of You-Know-Who, Hermione couldn't risk going home. At least being here, Ron's parents, and now Bill and Percy, could do magic. The burrow also had protective enchantments surrounding it. Here, she was safe and she wasn't putting them in immediate danger.

She felt guilty, however, and knew her parents were not happy when she told them she would not be home for the summer. She told them that the O.W.L.s were such a big deal (that was the truth) that Dumbledore had set up extra studying sessions in London that her, Ron and Harry would be attending (obviously not the truth). She explained that it would be easier to travel back and forth from the Burrow than from her own home.

She sighed and looked across the table, the laughing and jeering just background noise, at what she knew was the real reason the Burrow felt so much like home.

Ron. Her Ron.

He was laughing at the twins when his blue eyes met her own. He blushed but winked and she felt his foot nudge here under the table. She left her own foot resting against and smiled. She was absolutely barmy about him. Loved him in fact. And she had an inking that he felt the same.

However, that overly rational and logical corner of her brain loved to remind her that she was barely sixteen, and he even farther behind. How could she really know she loved him?

She had spent countless nights going over the ever growing list in her mind of all the reasons she loved him. Her rational and logical corner loved lists, after all. And it seemed to be working...

But she still had not admitted it out loud. She didn't want Ron to feel like he had to say it back. Or bad if he just wasn't there yet. And it was okay if he wasn't - she wouldn't put that pressure on him. She just had to hope that he would get there. 

No, she decided. She'd let him say it first...when he was ready.

* * *

Hermione pushed Ron's already ajar door open a bit more and stuck her head in. "May I?"

Ron simply nodded. He was sitting on his bed frowning, his half-packed trunk open in front of him, as well as his rucksack beside it and Pig's recently cleaned out cage. Hermione sighed and crossed the room to sit beside him.

"I know why you're upset," she said taking his hand. 

"He had no right Mione," Ron growled out. "He had no right to say the things he did about Dad. He's just...why does he have to be such a git?"

"I don't know," Hermione whispered. She knew that while Ron probably was not the closest to Percy, that he still looked to him when he needed him. Ron often told her he felt like he could ask Percy almost anything. For many things he would go to Bill or Charlie, and there were few things he would seek out Fred or George...but he said Percy almost always had an answer for anything he _did_ go to him for. She knew that witnessing Percy's fight with their dad and his packing and leaving set Ron off. Fred, George, and even Ginny were completely hacked off...Ron was too, but also sad.

"He chose his sodding job, over his family, Mione. His job. I mean...who would even...how selfish can you be?" Hermione squeezed his hand and allowed him to unpack his emotions - something he rarely allowed himself to do with anyone else. She didn't have the answers, didn't know what to say. Honestly, she was still a bit in shock. She never imagined any Weasley, not even Percy, to behave the way he had today. 

"Maybe this is best then, for more than just the obvious reasons - leaving the Burrow for a while," she finally said softly. Ron just nodded. He turned his head away and wiped his eye then took a deep breath.

"You're likely all done packing I reckon?" Ron asked turning back to her with a smile. And Hermione knew that was the end of that for now.

"Yes," she answered with a smile of her own. "Figured I would come and help you along."

"Thanks," he whispered. She leaned up and pecked his lips softly, but he swiftly wrapped his arm around her and kept her lips against his.

"Come on, Ron," she pulled away and stood up. "Your father said we're leaving in less than half an hour."

Shortly after Percy's dramatic departure, Mr. Weasley had sat them all down - Fred, George, Ginny, Ron and Hermione - and told them that they needed to pack their things. In just a bit they would all leave the Burrow and would be staying somewhere else for the remainder of the summer. Fred and George started asking questions but Mr. Weasley shushed them. "Just pack for now. Once we have arrived I promise, I will explain in further detail. Your mother is already packing...we'll leave in an hour."

"I wonder where we're going?" Ron mused as Hermione helped sort his books. She tutted as he threw clothes in the trunk haphazardly. "What? We're just going to unpack when we get there I'm sure!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, to answer your question, likely a safe house of some sort. If Harry is to join us, maybe extra steps are being taken to protect him."

"Well, if that's the case let's hurry up and get there. Maybe the faster we get there, the faster Harry can join us." Hermione nodded in agreement.

A while later, Mr. Weasley vanished all of their trunks and pets to their destination, then took Ron and Fred by side-along apparition while Mrs. Weasley took Hermione and George. (Fred and George could have apparated on their own, but did not know the location.)

Mr. Weasley passed them each a piece of parchment to read and memorize, then vanished it as the row house in front of them expanded - and "number 12 Grimmauld Place, the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix", appeared.

There was utter chaos once the lot of them entered the home. Mrs. Weasley hurriedly shooed them into the drawing room that was off the entrance and closed the door. When they had all entered the home rather noisily, a portrait on the wall began to scream. Hermione was certain that although Ron attempted to pull her away quickly, she heard the word 'mudblood' screamed in her direction. She also heard something about blood traitors...among many other obscene and rude comments.

"Right," said Mrs. Weasley as they all sat down. "We'll have to see about removing that portrait right away."

"It's no use," said a gruff voice closing the door. "I've tried every attempt since I've arrived here...my mother put a powerful, permanent sticking charm on her portrait." Sirius Black was standing before them.

"Your mother?" Ron asked.

Sirius nodded. "My mother. I'm sorry about her. We'll have to be extra quiet in the hallway, I'm afraid, in order to keep her from screaming the garbage you just endured." Hermione noticed his eyes rest sadly on her for a moment. "We can keep trying though, to have her removed...but I'm afraid it will be no use. Anyway, welcome to...my family's home." He said the last words as if it pained him.

Hermione looked around the drawing room they were in and tried not to scrunch her nose. Ginny, however, never one for tact retorted, "we're staying _here_?"

"Yes," said Sirius almost apologetically. "I've given Dumbledore permission to use Grimmauld Place as headquarters for the Order a-"

"What's the Order?" Fred and George asked together. Sirius let out a barking laugh and looked to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley for help.

Together they explained what the Order of the Phoenix was, who was in it, and that this house - under the most powerful protections from both muggles and wizard-kind - was headquarters. They were concerned that the Burrow was being watched, and as they would need to meet frequently, being here was the best option. Sirius told them that the house sat inhabited for over a decade - he only arrived there a few days before - and apologized for the state of it. Mrs. Weasley proclaimed that was not a problem...

"You lot will help me spruce this place up and make it livable again!" All five of them groaned...though Hermione's was a silent groan.

Sirius showed everyone to their rooms and Mrs. Weasley told them all to get settled while she put dinner together, then reminded them all to take extra care when coming down to the kitchen for dinner.

"I can't believe we have to spend the whole summer _here_ ," Ginny groaned when her mum closed the door. She made to collapse on the bed but then eyed it warily and wrinkled her nose. Instead she perched on her trunk. "Just when I thought this summer couldn't get any worse."

"This house _is_ pretty awful. I know Ron tried to block from seeing them, but did you see the house elf heads on the wall?" Hermione shuddered. "Absolutely disgusting. As soon as I see Sirius I'm-"

"He doesn't like them anymore than you do, Hermione," Ron said stepping into the room. "He told me as much and asked me to let you know he's working on having them removed too."

"Oi," Ginny called. "Knock much?"

Ron ignored his sister and sat on Hermione's trunk, pulling her down with him. "He said that honestly we'll find loads of awful things here...but that he doesn't want us to see any of it as a reflection of him. Gonna help us rid the house of the lot of it."

Hermione sighed as Ron took her hand and stroked the back of it. "Yes, well...I'm still going to have nightmares of the heads of those elves, I'm sure of it. I mean, who could be so cruel?!"

Ron just shrugged while Ginny shook her head. Hermione leaned into Ron's shoulder and he kissed the top of her head.

"Ugh," Ginny screwed up her face. "Is this going to be my life all summer? Is this how Harry feels?"

"Get lost then," Ron said rolling his eyes.

"Ronald!" Hermione admonished. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "We need to get ourselves settled before dinner anyway...and you should be doing the same," she scolded. Ginny grinned.

Ron simply stood up and left the room shaking his head, muttering something about barmy witches and Harry getting here soon.

The next few days were spent cleaning as much of Grimmauld Place as possible. They started with the bedrooms - having only dusted the beds the first night so they could all sleep - and the bathrooms then the kitchen and dining area before filtering out to other areas of the large and extremely filthy home. Mrs. Weasley took charge and Sirius seemed happy to let her, proclaiming "do whatever you must", but he rolled up his sleeves and helped as much as he could. Hermione could tell he really did feel sorry that this was all he had to offer them as a temporary home.

Thankfully, the evenings after supper gave them a much needed reprieve. The Order began to meet almost nightly, and that left the five of them to their own devices. Fred and George spent the time eavesdropping on the meeting with their latest invention, Ginny always joining. Hermione and Ron would sometimes listen in as well, but usually opted to sneak off on their own, counting on Ginny to fill them in if anything important - such as when and how Harry would be brought to Grimmauld.

On one such evening, Hermione was sitting with Ron in his room enjoying their time alone the best way they knew how. 

Hermione giggled as Ron bit her bottom lip softly. "That hurt?" he murmured.

"What if I said it did?"

"Then I'd have to kiss it and make it better," he quipped with a grin.

"Well in that case...that really, really hurt." Hermione smiled as Ron began to shower her lips with kisses. She threw her head back laughing but stopped when Ron's lips caught her neck. "Oh..." She gasped and pulled back, her eyes wide. That felt good...too good?

"M'sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to...you moved...I-"

"It's okay," she said softly. "I didn't...I didn't not like it...I was just surprised is all." Ron nodded.

They sat side by side for a moment, Hermione could tell by the redness in his ears that he was embarassed. She was too - but mostly at the fact that she wanted him to do it again. She wasn't sure how to say that without sounding...how would that sound?

"Mione," Ron asked after a while. Hermione simply hummed her response. "Am I...am I enough for you?"

"What?" she asked turning to him.

"I mean...I dunno what I mean...you know I'm not good at...this."

She turned to him and put her hand in his. "Just...just say what you're feeling, Ron."

He thought for a moment. "Aren't you scared?" Hermione looked at him questioningly. "Not of what's going on...who wouldn't be scared. I mean...of us."

"Scared of what?"

"We're only 15..." Hermione's heart clenched. Was he saying they were too young to be together? Was he breaking up with her? "Doesn't it scare you that we...that we found each other so young?"

"I'm only scared of...losing you," Hermione said slowly and quietly.

Ron kissed her hand. "M'not going anywhere," he whispered. "I can promise you that. What I can't promise is that I won't bugger this up." He took a deep breath. "Mione, I'm so scared of buggering this up. Because...if I bugger this up - us - I bugger up what could be...what I hope is my...future." He whispered the last word.

Hermione beamed. "You say you're no good at this, but that was the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." She put her hand on his cheek and turned him to face her. "You're not going to mess this up. You are more than enough, more than I ever hoped for. I'm in pretty deep here and I'm afraid you're stuck with me Ron Weasley," she giggled.

He leaned in and rubbed his long nose along the side of hers. "Promise?"

"Promise." At her answer, Ron leaned in and kissed her deeply, then pulled back and smiled.

Just then, Ginny ran in. "Mum's coming up to check on us," she panted as she threw Hermione one of the Witch Weekly magazines she was holding and then threw herself on the other bed which would be Harry's. Ron slid off his own bed to lie on the floor and grabbed the quaffle next to his trunk. He started tossing it just as Mrs. Weasley bustled into the room.

"Oh, you lot are in here." She nodded her approval. "Meeting's almost over, but you should start getting yourselves to bed soon. Ginny, Hermione, you should head up in a bit."

"Yes, mum," Ginny said at the same time as Hermione's "Of course, Mrs. Weasley." She took one last look at the three of them, lingering on Ron and Hermione, then backed out of the room leaving the door slightly ajar.

They listened to hear her footsteps reach the bottom before Ron hopped to his feet, poked his head out of the door, then closed it. "Thanks for that Ginny."

Ginny huffed. "I don't care so much if she catches you two sucking face as much as I care about being set to be your babysitter," she smirked.

* * *

Ron poked his head into Ginny and Hermione's open door the next afternoon to find Hermione sitting at the desk in their room writing, Crookshanks sleeping on the windowsill just in front of her. He felt as if he had not seen her all day, as Mrs. Weasley had assigned them to tasks in different parts of the house.

"Who're you writing to?" he asked sitting on the edge of her bed.

"My parents," she answered. "Your dad said he would take it to them after work tomorrow. They don't want owls coming too and from the house but I told him I want to let them know where I was, that I'm okay, and I'll write them again when we get to Hogwarts." She sat back and sighed. "I'm afraid our last letters weren't the best. I don't want them to think I just got angry and stopped writing...even though I did get angry."

"What for?"

"Well," she turned in her chair. "They're really upset I chose not to come home this summer. Understandable, but I can't tell them the real reason. I can't tell them I don't feel safe there. But then dad brought up, once again, about _his_ plan for me to go to University after Hogwarts. That my O.W.L.s are not as important as my A-Levels - oh, that's like the muggle version of N.E.W.T.s - and that I should really be spending my summers at home preparing for them rather than some 'ruddy magic test' in his words."

"University?" Ron said startled. 

Hermione nodded. "They still have it in their heads that Hogwarts is a phase and I'm going to live a muggle life after all of this is over. They had a plan for my life and Hogwarts was not it. I love them, and I know they love me, but they just don't understand. The muggle world is not for me anymore. Never was if I'm being completely honest. They weren't pleased when I said I planned to live a completely magical life after Hogwarts."

Ron released the breath he didn't know he was holding. The thought of Hermione leaving the magical world to live as a muggle again startled him, but at the same time he knew if that's what she had wanted, he would gladly follow her into the muggle world. He would just as quickly follow her anywhere, honestly. But to hear that her desire was to stay greatly relieved him. He did well in Muggle Studies last year, but knew that a couple of years of Muggle Studies was not going to properly prepare him for life as a muggle!

"I'm just...I hate that they're making me feel as if this choice I'm making is the wrong one, and thus a disappointment to them." Ron noticed the faraway look in her eyes accompanied by tears that were threatening to pool over. He was up in an instant, kneeling in front of her to hug her.

"They won't be disappointed, you know why? Because they may not get it now, but they will. Then, you'll kick complete arse doing whatever it is you decide to do in the magical world, they'll see how amazing and happy you are, and they'll be proud." She smiled as he wiped the tears from her eyes.

"See?" she said grinning, "what did I tell you? You're better at this than you think Ron." She kissed his cheek then stood wiping her eyes more thoroughly. "I told your mum I would be down to help with dinner. I'll see you in a bit."

Ron sat on the chair she vacated and watched her leave the room. He smiled to himself but his smile turned into a frown when he turned his head to find a pair of yellow eyes glaring at him. Ron glared back. Crookshanks let out a low hiss-growl combination of sorts and Ron stood up. "Yeah, well...I was here first," he growled back. With that, Ron stalked out of the room muttering to himself about mangy orange cats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the sweet sweet fluffyness....honestly I'm pretty sure 5th year is going to be full of fluff more than anything lol. I absolutely devour all the love you all leave me so don't be shy! It lights up my entire life. More 50 First Dates later in the week and...no promises, but I may have another surprise up my sleeve :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More from the summer before 5th year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you thank you THANK YOU for all the comments and kindness and feedback! I truly love reading every single one
> 
> To answer a few things that come up - I do want to say that my real goal here is following Ron and Hermione's developing relationship throughout canon (as well as how it effects some canon events)...at the end of the day, we've read the books/watched the movies so I won't bring up every occurrence - unless relevant to the storyline of our favorite couple's growing courtship, or to keep you in the know of where we are in the story. So, for instance, a reader commented that I didn't bring up Ron/Hermione's anxiety over not being able to tell Harry anything in the last chapter. It will come up in this chapter, with the return of Harry, but last chapter really was just about them as a duo adjusting to their new dark surroundings.
> 
> They're definitely taking it slow physically, but also emotionally too. They are 15 at this point, still have their deep-set insecurities to contend with, and are still just awkwardly bumbling along on this whole relationship thing - that's what makes it fun! But, you'll see that our duo are much more expressive toward one another and have definitely set the tone that they do without a doubt, belong to one another. It all started with being "mine". I didn't, however, want to lose what makes Ron RON and Hermione HERMIONE. I do so love both characters as they are - I just yelled at the books while I was reading "get on with it then!"
> 
> Thank you to the reviewer who pointed me to Taylor Swift's "Mine"! Totally listened to it a few times on repeat. <3 It even helped with a bit of a block I was dealing with. 5th year has been a bit of a struggle (but so fun) to write as there is so much happening, and I feel it's a pivotal year for them...Plus there were a few things that I was trying to figure out how it would play out in the story. But here we are - Onward into more of (the summer before) 5th year! Falling into a steady schedule of weekly posting as I have a few other projects going on, but if I can ever throw you a chapter sooner I definitely will!

_**"You are the best thing that's ever been mine..."** _

_**Taylor Swift - "Mine"** _

* * *

"The Order's made plans to get him," Ron said stepping into his room where he had left Hermione sitting on his bed surrounded by books from Sirius's library. "I think tonight." She nodded but didn't lift her eyes from the book she was scanning feverishly. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets and rocked on the balls of his feet. "Found anything?"

"Just that they can _not_ expel him." She dropped the current book on the floor besides the others and balled up her fists exasperated. "Everything I've read states that any repercussions to disobeying the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery as well as the International Statute of Secrecy do not apply to magic done to protect your life or the life of someone else, even a muggle. Harry was protecting himself and his cousin from dementors. _Dementors_ Ron! They can't expel him! They just can't!" She was crying out of frustration now and Ron was immediately sitting by her side, his arm wrapped around her.

"I hate that he had to go there," she continued. "I hate that we couldn't talk to him. I hate that he probably feels so alone. I just...I hate all of this."

"I know," Ron said softly. "Our ruddy letters all summer have been bloody rubbish haven't they?" Hermione nodded sniffling. "But, he'll be here soon...probably by the end of the night! Then we can tell him everything we know-"

Hermione laughed. "We really don't know much, Ron."

He nodded. "Well, we can tell him that too..." Hermione shuddered and Ron pulled her closer. "They'll get this sorted Mione, I'm sure of it. Dad, Dumbledore, the whole Order is on Harry's side. They'll get him here and then get this whole thing sorted."

"You're right," she sniffed.

"I know I'm right." Hermione smacked his chest but chuckled softly. "Seriously though, we'll spend the rest of the summer cleaning out this old place, then go back to Hogwarts - all of us - and you'll probably be a prefect. In fact...you _will_ be a prefect, I'm sure of it. Just promise me something Mione?"

Hermione pulled back to look up at him. "Anything."

"Promise you won't turn me in for snogging in the broom closet," he whispered conspiratorially.

Hermione faked shock. "Why, Mr. Weasley...whether or not I turn you in will depend on _who_ exactly it is you're snogging." Ron tapped his finger to his lips and looked up at the ceiling as if in deep thought and Hermione smacked his chest again.

"Oi! I'm only joking," he laughed. "I'll be snogging you of course...only you."

"Well then, in that case I might be convinced not to turn you in if..."

"If?" he leaned in grinning.

"If the snogging is satisfactory," she whispered as she played with the hem of his jumper.

Ron loved when he could pull Hermione from her troubled thoughts and bring out her playful side. And lately, he noticed, her playfulness was becoming more and more flirtatious. This brought out something in him that he never would have known resided within him...a confidence and even smoothness that he had no idea he was capable of. He leaned in close to brush his lips lightly against hers and whispered back, "the snogging is always more than satisfactory with us don't you think?" She sighed in affirmation as he kissed her soundly. His hand braced himself on the bed just behind her so he could lean in more while the other buried itself deep into her bushy curls. Her fists clung to his jumper pulling him closer as their lips parted and they explored each other's mouths.

When they finally pulled back, Ron smiled as he twirled a curl around his finger. "I'm serious though," he said softly. "You're a shoo in for prefect. No way Dumbledore'll choose Lavender or Parvarti over you."

"Maybe not Lavender," she chuckled thinking of her boy and makeup obsessed dorm-mate, "but perhaps Parvarti."

"Nah," Ron shook his head. "He'll totally choose you."

Hermione thought for a moment. "Would be wonderful if you and I were chosen for Gryffindor."

Ron sat up straighter and chuckled. "No way he chooses me."

"Who else is he going to choose Ron? Dean? Seamus!?"

"There's still Neville. And of course...Harry."

"I can't see him choosing Neville. He's sweet, but no."

Ron looked at her. "So Harry then."

"Well, I'll admit Harry could be a possibility. And if I _am_ chosen, I'd rather be paired with one of you than anyone else, obviously." She turned to him and tilted her head thoughtfully. "But I have a really good feeling it will be you."

"Too bad you were absolute rubbish at Divination, Mione."

Hermione opened her mouth in actual indignation this time as Ron laughed. "You big ginger prat!" She said swatting at him again, but he grabbed her fists to ward off her attack and leaned in close rubbing his nose to hers as he loved to do. "Fine, maybe I just _hope_ it will be you. Though I may take that hope back."

"No you don't," he kissed her cheek slowly, allowing his lips to linger. "I hope it' me too." He slid his lips experimentally down to her jawline, peppering chaste kisses along her skin. He could feel her tense at first but then melt into his arms. Smiling he continued. Ever since his lips touched her neck a few days before, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her there again - but he wasn't sure how she would feel about it. He buried his nose into her neck first, tickling her and breathing in her vanilla scent. She giggled and sighed then moved her head to the side to give him more room.

 _Blimey_ , he thought. He smiled again then pressed his lips to a spot just below her jawline. She shuddered and took a deep breath. "Good?" he asked huskily. She merely nodded. He kissed her there again, then let his tongue peek out and tickle her skin. She tasted so good.

Soon she was practically in his lap and his lips were leaving trails of wetness all over her neck and jaw and earlobes. He nipped and kissed as she sighed and giggled, all the while keeping hold of his shirt to keep him close...or to keep her upright. Ron was lost. In heaven. He'd only dreamed of having Hermione like this up until this point and his senses were completely flooded with her. 

It was a wonder he just caught the sound of footsteps outside the door. He had just enough time to stand them both up just as the door swung open. Before he could realize who had stepped in, Hermione shrieked and threw herself at the newcomer. "HARRY!"

* * *

A few days later, Ron joined Hermione and Ginny at the breakfast table. Harry's bed was already empty when he woke, and Ron knew he had left early with his dad to head into the Ministry for his hearing.

Which explained why Hermione's knee was bouncing furiously under the table while she ate her porridge - or stirred it absentmindedly actually - and scanned a Daily Prophet.

Ron said good morning to Ginny and to his mum who was spooning porridge into another bowl for him, then slid into the chair beside Hermione. He placed his hand softly on her knee and leaned in. "It will be okay," he said. "I know it will...Harry'll be okay."

Hermione smiled at him gratefully and nodded. Ron straightened up when his mum approached them with his bowl, but saw the look she gave them both.

They ate in silence, with Ginny finishing first. Ron noticed his mum didn't waste any time. "Ginny, why don't you head up and get started on the windows in your room."

"Mum-" Ginny started, but she was interrupted with a firm 'tut' and sent on her way.

Ron bristled as his mum took the chair opposite the two of them. He stared down at his bowl, knowing what was coming. He knew he was silly to think his mum wouldn't pick up on things. She was Mum after all.

"Ronald...Hermione...I wonder if I might have a word?"

Hermione, seemingly oblivious to what was coming, looked up and nodded. "Of course Mrs. Weasley."

Ron, meanwhile, moaned. "Mum," he started warningly. "Please don't make a big deal of this."

"And why should I not?" she asked sharply. "My youngest son has yet to tell me that the status of his relationship with his best friend has so obviously changed," Hermione sucked in a breath at this and her eyes went wide. "And yet I shouldn't make a big deal of this?"

"No, mum, you shouldn't. _We're_ not."

"I'm just wondering if I missed the announcement is all."

"There was no announcement mum," Ron rolled his eyes. "Hermione's still my best friend. We just...it's a bit... _more_ than that."

"So you _are_ boyfriend and girlfriend then, correct?" Both nodded. "But it's not a big deal?" They both shook their heads. "Do people know?"

Ron shrugged. "I mean, yeah a couple people cottoned on to things but we never made a declaration or anything of the sort. It just...happened."

"When?" Molly asked quietly. 

Ron glanced at Hermione who looked at the table. He sighed and braced himself. "End of third year."

"End of...ever since...it's been..." His mum's eyes bulged as she sputtered. "That-that's over a year ago now! That long?" She cocked her head and observed them silently. "So...this is fairly serious then?"

"I mean don't go planning a wedding or anything mum," Ron joked with a chuckle. "We're only 15."

"Well I should say not," she huffed. "I just...you're both so young. And yet..."

"We're happy mum." He looked at Hermione who smiled back. "We make each other happy." Ron heard his mum sniffle and looked back to see her blinking rapidly. "Aw mum," he groaned. "Please don't!"

She quickly pulled herself together and smiled. "Well...just...no closed doors under my roof - or here at Grimmauld - when you're alone." Both nodded as she got up from the table briskly. But before she could go far, an owl swooped in through the fireplace and landed in front of her. "Must be from Arthur," she mumbled as she took the parchment from the owl. "No," she gasped as she read. "It's from Perkins - FOR Arthur! They've changed Harry's hearing and -" she checked the clock, "- oh! It starts soon! I have to get a message to Dumbledore!" She ran off leaving the two at the table.

"What do you reckon...?" Ron's question trailed off.

"I don't know...but now I'm _definitely_ worried." Ron took her hand and squeezed it. "How has he been? Like, at night?"

"He has nightmares, I can tell you that. Wakes me up mumbling and turning in his sleep most nights."

"Does his scar...?" Ron nodded before she finished her sentence. "I knew it," she muttered.

"He doesn't want to worry you." Hermione guffawed. 

"Fine job he's doing." They sat in thought for a moment. "Oh, Ron...what if he does get ex-"

Ron shushed her. "Don't even. He won't. He can't."

* * *

He didn't! Hermione never felt such relief as she did later that afternoon when Harry returned with the news that he would return to Hogwarts with them on September 1st. With that settled, Hermione felt free to focus on other things like preparing for the upcoming school year - _Where ARE those school lists?_ \- and making plans for S.P.E.W. She shared a bit with the boys but could tell that even Ron was just humoring her.

Finally, on the very last morning of the summer holidays, the letters from Hogwarts arrived.

"Oohh," Ginny said looking over Hermione's shoulder. "Way to go Hermione! Prefect!" 

Hermione beamed. Then jumped at the thought that the boys were upstairs opening their own letters. One of them likely with a badge of their own!

She ran up the stairs and burst through the door to find Fred, George, Ron and Harry in the room. Ron looked dazed and pale and Harry was holding - 

"Oh," Hermione said sweetly and smiled. "Oh Harry, that's wonderful." She hoped he didn't see the disappointment in her face. She really _was_ happy to have Harry as her partner, but she did hope that maybe...

_**“No,” said Harry quickly, pushing the badge back into Ron’s hand. “It’s Ron, not me.”** _

_**“It — what?”** _

_**“Ron’s prefect, not me,” Harry said.** _

Hermione beamed. Her Ron... _Her_ Ron! Prefect! She ran up and hugged him as the other three groaned. "Didn't I tell you?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he said releasing her as she pulled away. "Yeah you did." She could tell he was still slightly shocked.

"They're going to be even worse now aren't they?" said Fred.

"Most definitely," George groaned. 

Hermione chastised the twins as they took the mickey then grinned when Mrs. Weasley entered the room and gushed over Ron's badge. She soon bustled off with the school lists and the promise of a new broom for Ron, then the twins popped (literally) away too. Ron ran off after his mum to tell her which broom he really wanted and Hermione turned to Harry smiling. But her smile fell.

"Harry?"

"I'm proud of you both. Congrats, it's...great!" He smiled but Hermione could see it didn't reach his eyes.

"Harry," she said again, "are you-"

"I'm fine Hermione. Really. I'm happy for you guys. Happy for Ron. You're no surprise of course..."

"But Ron is. You thought-"

Harry groaned. "I didn't think about it. I forgot about it. But ...I'm just..."

"Surprised it's not you," she sighed. He looked away but Hermione saw the tiniest nod of affirmation. "Harry, I told Ron weeks ago that I was sure it would be one of you. He thought it would be you hands down."

"Thanks, Hermione," he mumbled. She realized that probably didn't help.

"What I mean is...I'm sure there's a good reason - I mean...It was probably a really hard decision for Professor Dumbledore-"

"Hermione," Harry turned and smiled a bit more genuinely. "I'm fine. I've probably cost too much trouble to really be considered anyway. Ron's a much better option. He makes sense." He thought for a moment then summoned Hedwig down from his perch. "Send an owl to your parents, I'm sure they'll want to know." Hedwig hooted and landed on the desk, looking expectantly at Hermione.

"Thanks," she said as he left the room.

Ron came in a few moments later while she was writing her note to her parents. "Mum says she'll definitely try to get the Cleansweep...isn't that brilliant? Where's Harry?"

Hermione sighed. "I don't know...probably went up to see Buckbeak."

He looked at her carefully. "Something happen?"

"He says he's alright but...I don't know Ron. He still seems so..."

"I know." Ron sat on the bed and frowned. "It would have been Harry, y'know. Dumbledore probably only chose me because he was facing expulsion."

"Ron!" Hermione stood and approached him. "Don't be daft. If Professor Dumbledore wanted Harry to be prefect he would have CHOSEN Harry. He had more than enough time to discern that Harry would be returning."

"But-"

"Professor Dumbledore wanted _you_. You were his first choice. Not his back up. I'm sure of it."

Ron shrugged. "When am I ever anyone's first choice though?" He looked up in time to see Hermione cross her arms and look at him as if to say 'Honestly?'. He nodded. "I mean, aside from you." She huffed. "What?"

"At the risk of bringing up this touchy subject once again, shall I remind you, Ronald Weasley, that I was _not_ at the bottom of the Black Lake for Harry to rescue... _you_ were. You're not just my first choice. You're Harry's too. And now, we also know, you're Professor Dumbledore's."

Ron pulled her into a hug and buried his face in her hair. "As long as I'm always your first choice," he said softly.

She sighed, "always Ron. You'll always be my first - my _only_ \- choice."

* * *

That evening during their celebration, Molly was eyeing the banner thoughtfully. Arthur sidled up to her and motioned to the pair of teenagers whispering and laughing in the corner. "Should we be concerned?" he asked his wife softly.

She glanced from the banner to them. "No," she shook her head. "It's a good match, the pair of them. I'm sure of it." She looked back at the banner. " ** _Congratulations Ron & Hermione_**." She smiled. "Dear," she said, "when you take the banner down later, do take care. I think I'll hold onto it. Just in case."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet fluffiness amongst the trials and tribulations of 5th year. Rows, snogging, and...three slipped words? Enjoy!

"What's got your wand in a knot today?" Hermione hissed, pushing Ron behind a tapestry after lunch.

"Me?" he rounded on her. "You're the one who decided not to speak to me all through lunch!"

"Okay fine! Both our wands then!"

"Well," Ron started, "Let's see..barely a whole day as a prefect and you've got me going after my own brothers-"

"As you should be! You _are_ a prefect Ronald, as you stated! I don't understand why you didn't back me up!"

Ron groaned. "Hermione, they _hate_ prefects. They hate that _I'm_ a prefect! I don't want them to see me as another...Percy."

Hermione's face softened...but only for a moment. "So I suppose I'm to be the bad guy then?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"They love you, Hermione. They won't see you that way. 'Sides, they'll respect anything you say far better than they would anything I say. And you know that. I am and always will be, 'Ickle Ronnie' to them. If they step out of line - which they won't - then I'll obviously step in. But please don't ask me to otherwise?" 

Hermione regarded him and folded. Why could she almost never say no to those bright blue eyes?

She nodded. Then she rolled her eyes and contested. "I'm sorry that I came down on you about Professor Snape. I do believe we need to trust Professor Dumbledore on this, but," she sighed and softened her stance, dropping her arms, "I understand why you feel the way you do." He pulled her in to hug her. "And I suppose I was rather harsh on you about Cho...but you really are quite tactless at times."

Ron shrugged. "I'll work on that," he chuckled. "Quite a first day back, yeah?"

Hermione dropped her forehead to his chest. "Halfway through the first day and I already feel overwhelmed and stressed out!"

"Well," he said dropping a kiss on top of her head, "good thing you have me to take it out on. And to relieve some stress with." He waited for her to look up and him and waggled his eyebrows. She scoffed and pushed him gently but was smiling so he pulled her back in and kissed her gently. "No more silly rows?"

"No more silly rows," Hermione sighed. Though they both knew it was inevitable. "Especially not in front of Harry. He's already so wound up and right now we are practically all he has...I'm sure it's unnerving."

"D'you think he's afraid we'll split whenever we row?"

"He could...though he knows us well enough by now to know that a silly row is not going to split us up. But, we should still be a bit more mindful whenever he's around. So he doesn't worry." The bell sounded and it was time for them to go their separate ways - Ron to Divination with Harry, and Hermione to Arithmancy. "But do tell him that it would be nice if he did _not_ take his temper out on us, please?"

Ron nodded then chuckled. "When did we become parents of a moody teenager?"

"When you sat with him on the train four years ago and adopted him." She laughed as he held the tapestry aside for her to pass through.

* * *

Ron stared at his new Cleansweep in compete awe. It wasn't the best broom out on the market, he knew, but it was new and it was his. And his mum and dad bought it for him. Because he was made a prefect and they were proud. Of him.

Ron let that thought sink in for a moment before his mind drifted to Harry's Firebolt. He knew he shouldn't compare, but it couldn't be helped. All his life he was compared, so he did it himself: first to each of his many brothers, then to his sister believe it or not, then finally... To Harry.

His Cleansweep had nothing to Harry's Firebolt, but a Firebolt was within Harry's each wasn't it? Anything was within Harry's reach. He could have bought it himself, but didn't. Didn't need to though... His godfather had the means was well.

For just a moment Ron wondered how rich Harry really was. He never really talked about it - and Ron knew Harry didn't want to make him uncomfortable - so Ron had no way of knowing. Harry could be richer than Malfoy for all he knew. Ron shook his head at the thought. Even if that were the case... Harry was no Draco Malfoy. Not in any sense of the word. Harry wasn't arrogant or boastful or selfish. Far from it. 

It dawned on Ron that, though Harry had been rich all his life, he really hadn't been. He didn't know, at least, and lived in hand me downs and with so little just as Ron had. But in a much different sense... He'd seen the Dursley's home. They weren't poor... And yet Harry was raised as if he were. Ironic, wasn't it? 

Once again Ron reminded himself of the truth: Ron and Harry both grew up poorly. But Ron had one thing Harry didn't - the love of his family. Something he shared so freely with Harry now, and knew he always would. He smiled as he thought of the gobsmacked look Harry always got on his face whenever his mum pulled him in for a hug only she could give. But then he grimaced at the way Ron often pushed his mum's hugs away. He took them for granted didn't he? His mum's hugs... His family. Harry didn't. Harry still seemed completely surprised that he could be loved.

Ron couldn't compare. Ron shouldn't compare. He suddenly realized that Harry's gifted Firebolt was nothing on his mum and dad finding a way to buy him a Cleansweep. It was then that Ron decided that he would use this gift to make them all proud. His parents, Harry... Hermione.

 _Hermione_.

He smiled. He would work especially hard to make Hermione proud. Proud to be his. Word would begin to get out now that they had returned to school, he knew, and he winced at the thought of what people would say.

_"Hermione Granger is dating Ronald Weasley? She could do so much better!"_

Well, Ron may not be the best at schoolwork, or the most tactful, or even the best looking... But, he thought as he ran his fingers over his new broom, he could use this gift to somehow be worthy of being seen at Hermione's side. And this was his chance.

Oliver Wood graduated last year. That left the position of Gryffindor keeper open. 

He nodded his head in fierce determination. _Not for long._

Ron shrank his broom quickly and stuck it on his pocket. Then, being sure that every one else was too distracted to notice, and knowing that Hermione was safely tucked away in the library for now and Harry was in detention, he left his dorm and walked swiftly through the common room and out into the corridor... The empty quidditch pitch his destination.

* * *

Hermione sat in the common room waiting for Ron. She thought about going to her dorm to grab her scarf for rounds as it was already getting a bit chilly at night, but knew that Parvarti and Lavender were in the room and didn't feel up to seeing them. She was never truly close with her roommates, but she noticed that since the start of this term they were especially cold towards her. She finally found out why the night before when they thought she was asleep.

_"Of course little miss perfect was made a prefect," Lavender hissed, her version of whispering never as quiet as she thought it was. "Did you really expect Professor Dumbledore to choose one of US over HER?"_

_"I know," Parvarti whispered back - though she actually understood the concept of whispering so Hermione actually had to strain her ears to hear her. "I just really hoped that Padma and I would have both been prefects. Mum was a bit disappointed that she was made a prefect for Ravenclaw and I was not for Gryffindor."_

_Lavender tsk'd. "Well I'm not at all surprised. I mean really..." Padma whispered something here that Hermione could not hear. "But did you hear? About her and..._ Weasley _," she dropped her voice at Weasley, but Hermione heard it loud and clear. "I mean honestly, what does he see in her?"_

_Padma giggled. "What does SHE see in HIM?"_

Hermione wasn't sure which part of the short conversation she overhead bothered her more. But she found it hard to smile at them the following morning when they wished her 'good morning'.

Ron ran into the portrait hole just then panting and sweaty. He signaled to Hermione he'd be right back and ran up to the boys dorm. Hermione shook her head and gathered her things to wait by the portrait hole. They were due to start rounds ten minutes ago.

"If I knew you were going to be late," she said once he jogged back down the stairs looking a lot less sweaty and out of breath, "I would have made a few more hats for the elves."

Ron groaned as they climbed out of the portrait hole. "Hermione you know how I feel about this."

"Just because you don't want to give them a better life doesn't mean-"

"They don't want - you know what? That's not even really my concern. You are. Don't you have enough on your plate? As it is you're already stressed out about O.W.L.s and they're months away. I don't want you exhausting yourself over other things."

"It's important to me," she said softly.

"And _you_ are important to _me_." 

They walked in silence for a few moments until Hermione spoke up. "Where were you anyway? And why were you all sweaty?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. "Couldn't expect to keep this from you could I?"

"No," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well...I uh...I thought I would t-try out for Gryffindor keeper. So I've been practicing at the pitch the last couple of nights."

"Oh Ron, that's wonderful!" He grinned at her enthusiasm but then she had a thought. "Can you handle it all though? School, Prefect duties, AND Quidditch?"

"Y-yeah, I think. I mean I have to make the team first won't I? Then worry about it all."

"You'll make the team," she said taking his hand as they walked the corridors. "I believe in you Ron."

He chuckled. "Well if Hermione Jean Granger believes in me, then I've got a good shot then haven't I?"

"I'll help too. Keep you in front of your work so you don't fall behind...help you juggle your schedule."

"You do that," he smiled. "And I'll make sure _you_ eat and sleep."

"Sorted."

* * *

Hermione was knitting those sodding hats again. Ron held back from rolling his eyes at the knick-knack sound of the needles. Honestly, if he closed his eyes he could almost imagine he was at the Burrow in the sitting room while his mum magically knit Christmas jumpers. Despite his frustration, he smiled watching Hermione. One thing about her, when she put her mind behind something, she followed through. She was definitely passionate.

She yawned. _And exhausted._

"Hey," he called to her softly, "last hat?" She smiled sleepily and nodded. 

_Well,_ he thought, _she has this and I have Quidditch._ Ron was still reeling over making the team. Practices had not been the best thanks to the constant attendance of the bloody Slytherins - _why couldn't practices be closed?_ \- but they weren't awful. Especially with the presence of a certain curly-haired witch in the stands. She would typically read, but just her being there meant the world to him. And she was pretty great at multi-tasking.

Ron leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. He was exhausted. They'd spent the entire day catching up on homework and it was late. Harry had only just gone to bed and Ron knew that they weren't too far behind. He just wanted a few moments with her. He smiled when he finally heard the two seventh years at the far table begin to pack up. Once they went up, he'd be alone with Hermione and he knew she'd really relax.

His eyes caught onto the rubbish bin and a deep frown set into his face. Ron could still see Percy's crumpled up letter.

_Of all the insensitive...we haven't spoken to each other in weeks, and this is what he writes to me for??? "Congratulations on being a prefect, I knew you were just like me...now take it up a notch on the broomstick and turn your back on the people you love - starting with the troublesome Harry Potter." Ha! Tough chance Percival._

"Still upset?" Hermione asked as she sat beside him. He sat back and pulled her into his side. The older students had since gone up to their dorms so Ron knew Hermione wouldn't protest when he placed a kiss on her lips and let it linger.

"Not anymore," he whispered, his mouth still hovering over hers. "You need to get to bed though."

She nodded then rest her head on his shoulder. "Just a few minutes," she said softly, squeezing her arms around his middle. 

"I wish you could come up with me," Ron mused. Hermione's head shot up. "Not-not to...Just so we can...I like holding you. That's all."

She smiled. "Well I know, but that's against the rules. We could get expelled."

"Only if we get caught," he said with a teasing grin.

"Yes, I know that. But also, with four other boys in your dorm, including Harry, that would be...do you really want them thinking we're..."

"No," he realized. "Guess not." He sighed as she settled back into his side and they watched the fire for a while longer. 

A while later Ron lay in bed wishing more than ever that Hermione was beside him curled into his side. _We should have just slept on the couch,_ he thought with a shake of the head. _No, she wouldn't go for that either._

He lay back with his arms behind his head and smiled at the top of his bed. If she was here, would he attempt anything further than just cuddling and snogging? The Ron in his dreams would. He chuckled thinking about the absurdity of keeping a dream journal for Divination homework. 

_Trelawney does NOT want to know what really happens in my dreams,_ he thought with the wickedest grin. He'd been saying he doesn't remember them and making up dreams with Harry, but in reality - he remembered every single dream that starred Hermione Jean Granger. And those were dreams he would - and should - keep to himself thank you very much.

As he thought back to his delightful dream from the night before, he felt a familiar stirring in his flannel pajamas. He hastily shut the bed's curtains, closing himself off from his dorm mates.

* * *

"Oh, Harry," Hermione sighed. She shook her head and eyed the strained murtlap tentacles spilled all over the floor and the broken bowl that once held the substance she made to soothe Harry's cut hand. "You go up to bed. I'll get this sorted."

Harry nodded and at least looked somewhat guilty about his outburst. "Thanks Hermione." He moved towards the stairs and walked up to the boys dorm.

"Well...that went well," Ron muttered once he heard the boys dormitory door close.

"I still feel awful," Hermione said as she used her wand to clear the mess and repair the bowl. "If I hadn't started with that _woman_ -" she practically spit the word 'woman', unable to say Professor Umbridge's name she was so angry with her.

"You told him not to interfere," Ron reasoned. 

"I know." She flopped on the chair beside him. "I can't believe he has _another_ week of detention with her! This is ridiculous! I wish he would say something. I wish _we_ could say something."

"He'll hate us if we do Mione, you know that."

She nodded, placing her hand in his. "Yes, I know." They stared at their interlaced fingers thinking about the day and evening they had. "Think he'll go for my idea?"

"I think he just needs time to think about it a bit," Ron said softly. "So just...don't bring it up for a while. Let him really figure it out for himself." Hermione nodded again. 

"Is he still having nightmares?" Ron nodded. "Doubt those are dreams making it into his dream journal for Divination," Hermione chuckled and shook her head.

"Funny thing is, we're both making shite up for ..." Ron trailed off and Hermione noticed the sudden red tint of his ears and neck.

"Why do you need to make anything up?" she asked. He averted her eyes. "Ron, are you having nightmares too?" Her brows furrowed in concern.

"N-no! No M'not having...nightmares," he mumbled.

"Then...what are you dreaming about that you can't ...oh." Hermione felt the heat rising to her own cheeks and neck as the realization hit her. She thought about her own dreams that she would never share. Obviously boys have those sorts of dreams too, she knew that. She just never thought about the fact that Ron would have them. "Are...are these dreams about...me?" She glanced at him and found his blue eyes round and staring intently at her.

"They're a-always about you."

She turned her face fully to him now and gave him a tiny smile. "My very best dreams are always about you, too." She thought she heard a growl as he pulled her in and crashed his lips into hers.

* * *

The three of them were sitting under the big Beech tree by the Black Lake - Harry and Ron catching up on work, Hermione reading and knitting those barmy hats again. They'd fallen into a fairly easy albeit hectic routine the past couple of weeks, and Sundays were typically the best day to catch up on all their work. 

"Hey, Hermione...You look beautiful today, you know." Ron shot her his most dazzling grin.

Hermione sighed and didn't even bother to look up from her book. "Which essay Ron?" Beside him, Harry, who had been eyeing the exchange, let out a chuckle.

"Oi! I can't tell my girlfriend I think she looks beautiful?" He looked to Harry for help, but he only lifted an eyebrow then chuckled again and shrugged. Ron looked back at Hermione, who now raised her eyes to him and an eyebrow. Ron huffed. "Charms." She began to protest. "Please? You know I'm not good at _explaining_ these ruddy charms...I just _do_ them!"

"I can't explain them for you on your O.W.L.s you know," she chastised. Nonetheless, she reached for the parchment and quill shaking her head.

Ron sighed in relief. "I love you Hermione." His eyes popped open the moment the words left his lips. Hermione stared while Harry coughed and looked away from them, suddenly extremely interested in the reading he had been avoiding. "Erm...I'll just...If you help with that I'll um work on my Muggle Studies work."

All three were silent for a long while, only the sounds of Hermione and Ron's quills and Harry turning his pages mixed in with the late autumn breeze around them were heard until Harry let out a small laugh.

"You know," he said, "I never actually heard either of you use the girlfriend-boyfriend words."

Ron shrugged. "S'just a label. Not a big deal." He smiled at Hermione, who blushed and smiled back down at the parchment.

Prefect duty was quiet that evening...awkward even. They made it through their entire round without saying more than four words to each other. Finally, just before they reached the portrait hole, Ron pulled Hermione into the broom closet nearby and covered her lips with his finger before she could protest. He leaned in close and ran his eyes over her, from each eye to her nose to her lips and back to her eyes. They were wide and chocolatey and... _Bloody hell._

"I meant it you know," he whispered. "When I said I love you...when I _say_ I love you...I mean it."

"You did?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You do?"

"Of course I did. I didn't mean to say it just then, mind. And definitely not in front of Harry for the first time...thought he was about to have kittens." He chuckled then got serious again, now trailing his finger along the freckles across her nose. "It slipped...but it's something I've been thinking for quite some time now. That I love you. And I know you might think we're too-"

"I love you too," she breathed out. 

"Y-you do?"

"Why the tone of surprise?" she laughed. "Of course I do."

Ron put his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. He had her against the wall now, his hands on her hips, her hands clutching his shirt at his chest. "I love you so much Mione." He pressed his lips to hers. "So much." Their kiss deepened before his lips trailed off to her jaw and neck.

"Oh," she gasped.

"Want me to stop?" he asked against her skin, praying the answer was no.

"N-never. Never stop."

Ron's elation from the weekend - between his Sunday confession and the meeting they hosted at the Hog's Head on Saturday - didn't last long though. The news the next morning that Professor Umbridge disbanded all groups and organizations started what was undeniably the worst Monday in quite some time. Probably the only good thing about the whole day was that somehow, Harry made it through Defense Against the Dark Arts without getting detention.

But that night Ron sat in his bed watching Harry toss and mumble in his sleep. He noticed that Harry had more restless nights on bad days. No clubs meant no quidditch, Hedwig turned up injured meaning someone - and Hermione had an idea who - was reading Harry's mail, then Umbridge's hand shows up in the fire, scaring Sirius away. It was no wonder Harry couldn't sleep.

Ron wished he could talk to Hermione, but he couldn't even sneak up to her if he wanted to could he? He sure was glad he tried to take on the girl's staircase for the first time in the light of day and not when his randy thoughts won out in the middle of the night. That would have been embarrassing.

He really should read Hogwarts a History...

Harry finally seemed to settle, so Ron lay back - but he left his curtain open to keep and eye and ear out.

It was a few days later - the Gryffindor Quidditch team re-established - when Ron and Harry were walking back to the castle from the pitch.

"I have to tell you something," Harry said. "I almost forgot but just remembered..."

"What?" Ron asked.

"All those hats Hermione's been knitting? Dobby's been taking the lot."

"What? Why?"

"The other house elves don't want them." Ron snorted despite the small feeling of dissappointment he felt - the dissappointment he knew Hermione would feel. "They actually refuse to clean Gryffindor Tower now. Only Dobby will. He gives some to Winky too, he says, but the other house elves want nothing to do with our common room or the hats hidden in them." Harry paused, thinking. "Should we tell Hermione?"

"I want to say yes," Ron started, "if only to give her one less thing to do. Plus I hate keeping things from her."

"I know."

"But..." Ron wasn't sure how to put his hesitation into words.

"I know," Harry said again - this time with a sigh.

Ron scratched his neck and winced. "Blimey...I guess don't say anything yet. Let me...I'll think about it a bit." He tried to imagine when would be a good time to tell her and how, but then he thought about what week it was. _Definitely not this week,_ he thought. Ron's knowledge of Hermione's "lady time" had proved to be useful information the last year. He knew when to not push certain topics and avoid what could become a major row when it would otherwise be a minor disagreement. This was something he would definitely have to be strategic about.

"So," Harry spoke up, pulling Ron from his thoughts, "the other day when you told her you...love her...?"

Ron nodded. "I meant it, mate."

"Does she know?"

"Yeah," Ron said smiling. "She uh...said it back too." Ron knew he had the biggest grin on his face but he couldn't help it.

"That's bloody brilliant mate." Ron noticed that Harry was grinning too. His heart swelled knowing that Harry, their best friend, was genuinely happy for them.

"It is, isn't it?" He fingered the fake galleon in his pocket and pulled it out. "She's bloody brilliant."

Harry noticed the galleon and pulled out his own. "I still don't know how she did it," he laughed. "I mean to think about this, then do it...the magic involved...maybe _she_ should be leader of the D.A."

"Naw," Ron said as he shook his head and re-pocketed his galleon. "She's...she's the brains of this operation, mate. You? You're the boss." Ron shoved Harry playfully and Harry shoved him back.

"Yeah? So what does that make you?"

Ron thought for a moment then smiled. He wrapped one arm around Harry's neck in a fake choke-hold and flexed his other arm. "Reckon I'm the brute!" Harry swatted at him and twisted free as they laughed. "I keep the brains and the boss safe."

"You're more than that," Harry laughed. "I think Hermione'll agree too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, I am loving writing 5th year but it's also hard at the same time!!! So bear with me while I figure out the direction I'm taking this thing - or the direction it's taking me!!! Up to now their change in relationship status hasn't changed much canonically, but that will change soon...in a pretty major way. I hope you've enjoyed these couple of fluffy chapters...because the action will come :) And of course thank you ALL for reading and commenting!!!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE CHAPTER! In honor of our King Weasley's 41st birthday!

The roaring in the stands was deafening - but unfortunately it did nothing to block out the song reverberating from the Slytherin stands.

**_Weasley is our King, he cannot save a single ring..._ **

Ron's blood boiled at the sound. Two quaffles already soared passed him and he was losing his nerve, he knew it. While the quaffle was out of play on the other side of the field, Ron took a breath and collected himself. He looked at the Gryffindor stands and quickly found her face, wild brown bushy hair blowing all around her. He recalled the words she whispered to him before he mounted his broom. " _You are amazing, Ron. I believe in you. You can do this. Do it for me."_

The truth was, Ron would do anything for Hermione Jean Granger. When it came to her, he was gone. Lost. When it came to her, he had the unyielding devotion of a house elf (although he would never _ever_ tell her _that_.)

He could do this. He would do this. He squared his shoulders and let her words run through him. _"Do it for me."_

 _Anything for you, love._ He focused on the quaffle now in Slytherin's possession, and resolved that it would not sail passed him again.

* * *

"BANNED?!" Ron roared. "ALL THREE OF YOU?! She can't do that!" Ron groaned and sank onto the couch. "I should have realized what was happening. I should have been there."

"So you could be banned along with them?" Hermione said at the same time that Harry and George both made similar statements.

"Angelina has it rough as it is," Harry said irritably. "I'm glad you weren't there."

Fred laughed mirthlessly. "You would have made it far worse little brother."

Ron nodded and threw himself onto the back of the couch. He could feel Hermione's hand rubbing his knee gently and tried to match his breathing to her slow movements.

They had won. They should be celebrating. Ron _had_ been celebrating. Once Harry caught the snitch, Ron flew immediately to Hermione and hugged her. Pulled her behind the stands and snogged her senseless he was so excited.

By the time they cottoned on to the trouble on the pitch between Harry, George and Malfoy, McGonagall was already carting them off to the castle.

"McGonagall was ready to give the two of us a week or two of detention," George said. "But _she_ interfered."

"And I'm just guilty by facial association," Fred rolled his eyes. They both shook their heads then turned and head toward the steps to the dorms, as others began to file out of the common room sulkily.

"What exactly was Malfoy saying?" Ron asked, his voice an almost low growl.

"No," Harry said standing up. "I'm not repeating it, especially not to you. I'm going to bed."

Harry didn't even make it halfway up the steps though. Hermione had stood up and looked out the window.

"Boys," she gasped. "Hagrid! He's back!"

* * *

"You know I'll stay if you need me to," Hermione was saying as her and Ron walked the corridor. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck as the cold now-December evening air flowed around them. The castle was quiet that night and she was glad. Thankfully, they had just reached the portrait hole having completed their prefect duties for the night. 

"No," Ron said as they climbed through. "It's fine. Have a good time with your parents, I'll have Harry." They were walking to the chairs near the fireplace where that very person was seated waiting for them.

"Does he know?" Hermione asked softly. "He's been rather sulky since we've discussed plans for the holidays."

She watched as Ron stopped and thought. "Oi, Harry," he called to him. He looked up at them approaching but didn't respond. "You do know you're coming with me to the Burrow right? For Christmas?" Ron had flopped on the couch next to him now, so Hermione took a seat on the floor just in front of Ron, leaning against his leg.

'I am?" Harry said.

Ron scoffed. "Where else would you be then with us?"

Harry smiled and nodded. Despite the fact that things had been rather calm the last few weeks, and Hermione knew that the D.A. was a good outlet for Harry, she realized that was the first genuine smile she'd seen of him in a while. "You're right mate." Hermione smiled as the two fell into friendly Quidditch banter. Harry asked how Ginny was doing as the new seeker, and Ron went on to explain that while the dynamic was definitely different, she was a nice addition. 

"The changes threw me off for a bit," Ron explained, "and of course the Slytherins noticed and started their ruddy song. But I think I pulled it together after a while." He shrugged. "S'much as I could anyway. S'not the same without you though, definitely."

Harry nodded, but Hermione could tell he was keen to change the subject. "Harry," she spoke up, "when you talked to Dobby that night, did he happen to say anything about the other house elves? About how many have become free elves so far?" Harry glanced at Ron, but Hermione missed the almost undetected shake of his head.

"Um...no I...we didn't talk about it," he mumbled.

"Oh," Hermione shrugged. "Well, at least I can get more done over break."

"In between flying down a snowy hill with skinny sticks tied to your feet?" Ron joked.

She rolled her eyes as Harry joined Ron in laughter. "Skiing is quite fun. Maybe I'll take you both sometime. If you enjoy riding brooms I really think you'd enjoy skiing. Or maybe even snowboarding..." Ron gave her a confused look. "It's like surfing, but through the snow."

"That doesn't help Hermione." Ron grumbled as Harry laughed.

* * *

Everything was happening way too fast and way too slow all at the same time. The walk with Professor McGonagall and Harry to Dumbledore's office seemed to take forever, but before Ron knew it, the gargoyle was moving aside to bid them entrance.

Ron was in a daze, and yet so very aware. He had been so worried about Harry when he woke up screaming, but now a new worry was drowning him. His hands shook, his eyes darted about, he was seeing and hearing without completely seeing and hearing.

_"Your dad! He's been bitten, it's serious, there was blood everywhere..."_

Ron tried to tell him that he was just dreaming, but Harry was adament he was not. Something about the look in Harry's eyes made Ron believe him. But...how?

Ron stood in the middle of Dumbledore's office and watched and listened, though it was as if he were watching through a fog. Harry telling Dumbledore he was the snake...Dumbledore talking to his portraits - giving them commands...Dumbledore fiddling with his trinkets...A portrait reporting back...

_"He doesn't look good, he's covered in blood..."_

Then another.

_"He looks bad..."_

Ron wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to shake someone. Every single emotion ran through his body and he felt dizzy...panicked...unable to really figure out what was happening yet knowing all at the same time. He needed...he needed...

"Minerva," Dumbledore's voice snapped Ron out of his thoughts, "wake the other Weasley children and bring them here."

"Of course Professor."

Ron spoke before Professor McGonagall left the office. A single word that stopped both Professors and made them turn and look at him.

"Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall questioned.

He said it again. "Hermione..." He looked from McGonagall to Dumbledore and hoped his eyes said what they needed to. Just in case, he added, "please?"

Dumbledore nodded to McGonagall. "Ms. Granger as well."

Ron wasn't sure when his feet moved him, or when his knees lowered him into a chair. Perhaps he didn't do it at all...he wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to have taken the liberty of sitting him down. His fog returned. Plans were being made - a portkey was created and mention of Grimmauld Place, and more talking with the portraits in the office...but nothing truly registered with Ron. Not even the arrival of his siblings brought him to the present. Nothing...until a small hand touched his shoulder. He didn't even look to know who the hand belonged to. He leaned into it and focused all of his attention on the warmth of those thin, ink-stained fingers as they gently squeezed him. He closed his eyes and willed himself not to cry or cry out or throw something - he just focused on that hand. He knew that hand would never let go.

And it never did. Her hand held him as Dumbledore explained what had occurred and what the plans were. Her hand grasped his own through the pull of the portkey all the way to Grimmauld Place. Her hand rubbed his back as he sat in the sitting room and Harry explained again what he saw in his dream. Her hand squeezed his arm as his mother's note appeared before them.

_"Dad's still alive..."_

Ron repeated the statement in his mind over and over again. He went over in his mind the implications of those three words...he's _still_ alive...for now? Surprisingly? In spite of...?

_"Dad's still alive..."_

Suddenly unable to take the room he abruptly stood up, and walked out of the drawing room. He stopped at the door and for the first time all night, looked back to search out Hermione's brown eyes. She immediately nodded and stood to follow him.

Once in the room that was his over the summer, he collapsed to his knees and released. One sob shook him and Hermione fell to the floor beside him and wrapped herself around him. "Sshh, it's alright. He'll be alright," she repeated in hushed tones as she rocked him and ran her fingers through his hair and along his back. "He's alright Ron, he will be...he has to be."

"What if he's not Mione?" he whispered.

"He has to be..." she repeated softly.

Ron finally collected himself and sat up straight. "Harry..." he mumbled. He knew Harry felt guilty and confused and needed them. 

Hermione brought her hand to his cheek, brushing a tear away with her thumb. "Ginny's sitting with him until we return. She'll keep an eye on him and he'll console her. Right now you're my priority."

He nodded and looked at her closely. "How about you?"

"I'm fine Ron. Don't worry about-"

"You're allowed to be scared or sad or worried you know." It was obvious she was controlling her own emotions for his sake. The way her face momentarily crumbled confirmed his suspicions. "He's my dad, but he's taken in both you and Harry as if you were his too."

Hermione sniffed and looked at the ceiling likely willing her tears away. "He'll be fine," she said once more and looked back at him. "He has to be." She mustered a small smile and kissed his forehead. Ron knew then that she was saying this for herself just as much for him.

They returned to the drawing room soon after that and took their place on the couch. Ginny was sitting with Harry, Fred and George were on the floor, their heads on their arms. Sirius tried to suggest going to bed, but no one moved. So he produced a few bottles of butterbeer instead.

Ron's not sure when he dozed off, but his mother's voice soon woke him and he realized his head had been in Hermione's lap - her fingers lightly brushing his hair. Ron sat up and glanced guiltily at his mum. But if she was at all flustered by the sight of her youngest boy sleeping on the lap of his girlfriend, she didn't show it. And the twins didn't even offer a wink, smirk or any indication that they planned to take the mickey. All everyone wanted to do was hear exactly what his mum had to say - their dad was alright. They would all go visit him the next day - or rather, later that day as it was now nearing sunrise.

Hermione squeezed his hand. "He's alright," she whispered.

* * *

Hermione returned to kitchen later that afternoon to find Ginny and Ron seated at the table. It had been a long day with visiting Mr. Weasley in the hospital but she had one thing she needed to do as well. So she asked Remus if he could get her to a telephone.

"I have to call my parents," she explained to him and Mrs. Weasley once they returned from the hospital. "They're expecting me home tomorrow...I have to tell them I'm not coming."

Of course, she didn't tell her parents exactly what happened. She stopped telling her parents the truth about her life in the magical world since second year. They knew about the cat incident - "a common potion's mistake," she had told them - but luckily the school left it to her to explain about her being petrified...she chose not to.

"What did you tell them?" Ron asked as she took the seat beside him. Hermione was happy to see he was in much higher spirits since laying his eyes on his smiling father.

"I told them that I was staying at Hogwarts after all to study for my O.W.L.s...they were disappointed, but they know how I am so they believed it immediately. I just promised that I would absolutely spend at least a couple weeks home this summer. Which, I suppose I should anyway."

"I'm sorry," Ron started. "You didn't have to...I shouldn't have pulled you away-"

"No," Hermione interrupted him. "No, I'm happy to be hear. This is where I belong. Once I found out I would have left and came anyway...you probably saved me a trip on the Knight Bus or something," she joked.

"Well I'm definitely sorry for that," Ron chuckled. "I've always wanted to ride the Knight Bus!"

Hermione smiled but then her smile dropped once she realized something. "Where's Harry?"

Ron shook his head. "He's been upstairs hiding ever since we got back from the hospital. Ever since he realized he's being possessed..."

Ginny's eyes shot up. "Is that really why he's hiding?" she asked.

"Reckon so," Ron sighed. "We should go find him...talk some sense into him."

Ginny stood before they could move. "Oh, please," she rolled her eyes. "Allow me. Because Merlin forbid someone who's _actually_ been possessed by You-Know-Who could tell him how it _actually_ feels!" Ginny was off with a huff before Hermione could stop her.

"I hope she's not too short with him."

Ron laughed. "Honestly? Ginny is probably exactly what Harry needs."

Hermione smiled at what Ron probably didn't realize was a very loaded sentiment. It was no secret that Ginny's feelings for Harry never truly went away - more like evolved, if Hermione was right. But Hermione had begun to wonder if the feeling wasn't somewhat mutual. Sure, Harry had been wrapped up with Cho Chang, but she always felt the Ravenclaw seeker wasn't really what Harry needed or wanted. She wouldn't say that, of course. She just listened and gave him advice as she could.

"Harry needs you too," Hermione said softly, bringing herself back to the current conversation. "You're not avoiding him are you?"

Ron shook his head slowly. "No...just...it's a lot."

"It is," Hermione agreed, "for everyone. But you've seen your dad now, you know he'll be just fine." Ron nodded again. "So now, it's Harry we have to worry about. He needs you more than ever."

"He needs you too," Ron looked up at her.

"I'll just nag him. He doesn't need _that_ right now."

Ron shrugged. "You don't nag." She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Alright, maybe just a bit," he smiled.

"Honestly," she grinned back. "You'll get tired of nagging eventually. As it is I'm surprised you're even with me of all people."

Ron frowned. "What do you mean? 'Of all people'?"

"I just...I don't...never mind."

"Yeah...yeah never mind. Never you _mind_ that thought again." Hermione looked away but Ron brought his hand to her chin and lightly tugged her face back to his. "I love you. I needed you. They weren't going to fetch you last night, you know. I asked for you. I needed my Lambie." He ran his finger along her jaw and her breath hitched at the intensity of his blue eyes as they stared into hers. "I couldn't have done this without you. And I'm so glad you're here."

"Oh Ronald," she breathed, her face slowly leaning into his. "I love you, too," she whispered just before her lips touched his.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear faithful readers: I have been STUCK. So stuck. Cripplingly stuck. Crazy thing is, I've skipped ahead and written future chapters/scenes, but am stuck with the chapters that are to come next. GAH! I think the biggest issue is, I'm struggling between what I WANT to happen, and not straying too far away from canon. When I started this particular journey with my beloved babies, my goal was to steer their new relationship around the canon events. However...as I dive in I'm finding there are (1) obviously canon events that their relationship would change (case in point, Yule Ball) and (2) there are things about canon that I WANT their relationship to change...but then I realize just how this one particular change will change so many other things that this may turn into an AU before I can blink...do I want that? Yet another question I have to answer for myself as I try to continue! So, I hope you will bear with me as updates may slow for just a bit while I work my way over this mini wall...You can look forward to a few other unrelated little fun-shots that may pop up and of course more of 50 First Dates (I think another couple of chapters will complete that). In the meantime, send me all the positive, creative and anti-writers blocking vibes you've got!!! Then enjoy some more 5th year fluff and humor - my way of stalling - with a small side of ...is that Hinny I see in the future??? *grabs binoculars*

The holidays went by too quickly, and before Ron knew it, he was sitting in the common room with Hermione beside him talking to Dean and Neville.

"Professor Umbridge was right hacked off that you lot left before term ended," Dean was saying. "She had a tantrum about it for sure - especially when she learned that Harry and Hermione went too."

" _They're not Arthur Weasley's children!_ " Neville said in a fair impression of Umbridge. " _There was no reason for them to go too!_ "

Hermione and Ron joined them in raucous laughter at Neville's impersonation as he blushed shyly. "Well," Hermione said, "I wish I could have seen that!" 

She leaned across Ron to grab her knitting bag and Ron was hit with her scent. He smiled at how well her new perfume suited her. And then grinned at the fact that she was wearing it - along with her new, navy blue Weasley jumper adorned with a gold H on the front. "I love it," she said when she opened the perfume Christmas morning, and the grin that lit up her face when she received her first Weasley jumper from his mom was the brightest he'd ever seen. He too couldn't contain the happiness he felt that his mum felt compelled to bring Hermione (and Harry, of course) in on the family tradition - but he still so loved the sight of Hermione in one of his jumpers. Maroon looked better on him then on her anyway.

Hermione, meanwhile, was adament that she owed Ron a gift. She did give him and Harry homework planners - "I don't know why since we have you," Ron had quipped to that - and knit him a new hat and scarf, but told him how she planned on getting Ron something from the ski resort. His response of "What? Skis?" earned him a playful hit to the chest. He loved his hat and scarf though...if she got anything out of knitting for the house elves, it was that she did get tremendously better.

Harry returned from his first Occlumency lesson with Snape then, and exchanged a few friendly words with them but then said he was heading off to bed.

"Maybe you should check on him," Hermione said quietly to Ron. "He seemed a bit...forlorn." 

Ron nodded and pecked her cheek before heading off to the boy's dorm, ignoring the snickers from Neville and Dean. He was just thinking that hopefully things would settle down and they could have a calm second term, when he found Harry near hysterics. His breath quickened as panic set in, thinking someone else had been hurt, but he soon found out what Harry knew - You-Know-Who was really really happy.

"That can't be a good thing," Ron mumbled.

The next morning they found that it was not a good thing. The escape of ten Death Eaters from Azcaban was most definitely the opposite of a good thing.

* * *

"I don't trust him Hermione!" Ron hissed in a low voice as they walked the corridors. The last thing he wanted to do was row the night before Valentine's Day while on rounds...he actually had other plans. But there they were...arguing about the same things they always argue about. "If anything, things have been worse for Harry. Everytime he comes from one of those so-called _lessons_ , he has even worse nights! I. Don't. Trust. Snape."

"What choice do we have?" she huffed. "Dumbledore trusts him! Dumbledore asked Professor Snape to give Harry these lessons and for a very good reason!"

"That doesn't mean we let our guard down. I still say he's sabotaging things for Harry."

"Ron," Hermione groaned - and not in the way he wanted to hear her groan his name.

"Hermione," he answered through gritted teeth. "I mean, really Hermione, how am I supposed to trust someone who treats my best mate - _as well as the girl I love_ \- like the worst piece of rubbish on the bottom of his shoe?"

She seemed to be taken back by this sentiment and the sincerity in his voice. Her face softened dramatically and her voice lost it's iciness. "I ...I can understand that..." She must have realized there was nothing she could do to change his stance on their Potions professor, because she allowed the subject to drop. They walked in silence but after a bit, Ron intertwined his fingers in hers.

"What are you planning?" He asked slowly. Ever since the morning the Death Eaters escape was in the Daily Prophet, Ron noticed Hermione's gears turning and she had run off to send a letter but wouldn't tell him or Harry what about.

"I'll tell you tomorrow in Hogsmeade," she answered. Ron winced and groaned.

"I'm sorry Mione, I totally forgot to tell you," he glanced around before he pulled her into an empty classroom. He locked the door and stood in front of Hermione with a sad look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Angelina called a training day all day tomorrow," he said. "I tried to talk her out of it, reminded her it's Valentine's Day...but she didn't care. I even told Fred and George that one of them needed to butter her up and get her to make Valentine's plans but she wouldn't budge. I'm sorry," he said again.

"It's alright Ron," Hermione stepped in close. "We'll just find something to do tomorrow night."

"What about tonight?" he leaned in and caught her earlobe with his teeth.

"That's...that's why we're in...here...isn't it?" Hermione seemed to be having trouble getting her words out, distracted by Ron's lips along her neck.

Ron lifted her onto the desk behind her, bringing her closer to his height and stepped in between her legs. "I'd say it is." He kissed her deeply, hoping that he could make up for missing Valentine's Day the following day. He cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her then his fingers got lost in her hair. Her hair was always the safest place for his hands - he didn't want to push Hermione but follow her lead instead. He didn't trust his hands to their own devices...surely they would get him into trouble. 

Plus, he loved her hair. It was wild and so soft. And he learned that with the softest tug - "Oh!" she breathed out when their lips parted - he could position her in such a way that he had even more room to nip at her neck.

"No marks this time," Hermione sighed out. "You left a big one last time."

Ron ignored her as he sucked just below her jaw. _Godric she tastes so sweet._ He detached his mouth with a soft pop. "You have a wand, Hermione," he teased as he moved her head to the opposite side in search of more skin to torture.

Ron left his dorm the following night to head back down to the common room in search of Hermione. He was beat, sore, exhausted - you name it. But he knew she was waiting for him. And he needed just a few minutes - they had not seen each other all day.

He found the her reading in the armchair by the fire, the rest of the common room surprisingly but blessedly empty. He kissed her lightly before setting on the floor in front of her and she put her book down and placed her hands across his shoulders. He sighed deeply as she started to rub. "That's perfect Mione."

"How was training?"

"Bloody brutal. But good I guess. Reckon we'll be ready for Hufflepuff. Okay...you're turn. What did you do all day? You have a secret plan to tell me about, don't you?"

Hermione laughed then told him about Harry's exclusive interview with Rita Skeeter that she set up in the Three Broomsticks. She told him it would run in the Quibbler. "Was Harry already in bed?" She asked. "He seemed a bit out of it when we returned. Had a big fight with Cho too you know."

Ron shook his head. "No wonder...he was already sleeping when I got back from the showers. Neville was up and reading...promised to get me if Harry started acting barmy." Ron laughed, a thought suddenly coming to him. "Know what this feels like?" Hermione hummed in question. "Feels like we're both getting home from long days at work or what have you, the kids are in bed, and we're catching up on our days." Ron felt his ears burn at the confession, unsure how Hermione would feel about his line of thought.

She laughed. "It does feel that way doesn't it? As if..." her voice dropped. "As if we're getting a glimpse at our future." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. "I missed you today."

"I know, me too. M'sorry."

"It's okay, really. Besides, you're here now." She nudged the side of his head with her nose then kissed his ear. He let out a small growl in response.

"That I am," he said as he pulled her squealing down and onto his lap.

* * *

Ginny joined the Gryffindor table and sat beside Hermione just in time to see her piling food onto a plate. She was talking animatedly to Harry - something about how horribly his date with Cho Chang went the previous day... _pfft, could have told him it would_ \- and for a moment, Ginny thought Hermione wasn't exactly paying attention to what she was doing. She watched as the other girl piled on pieces of chicken, a healthy helping of cottage pie, and a couple of cornish pasties. Ginny was about to ask if Hermione was especially hungry tonight when Ron plopped on the table beside her. Ginny watched, a smirk slowly forming on her face, as Hermione smiled at Ron and pushed the plate in front of him. "Thanks, Love," he mouthed to her right before he tucked in.

_Ah_ , Ginny thought as she chewed her food in thought. 

She recalled a similar scene a couple weeks ago at breakfast. This time, it was Ron's eating habits that had Ginny baffled, as he plated a couple pieces of toast, some fruit, and made a cup of tea with cream but no sugar - everyone knows Ron takes his tea with plenty of sugar. As soon as Hermione took her place beside him, he slid the plate in front of her with a kiss on the cheek for greeting.

Ginny shook her head. _Merlin they're disgusting_.

Once Ron and Hermione got up to head Godric knows where to do Godric knows what - and she'd rather _not_ know thank you very much - Ginny turned to Harry who was sitting beside her.

"When did they start doing that?" She asked.

"Doing what?"

"Making each other's plates? They're like an old married couple!"

Harry frowned and thought hard. "Do they really?"

"Harry...you really _are_ daft."

"Thanks Gin," he rolled his eyes but Ginny noticed a hint of a smile. He took another bite of his biscuit and shrugged. "I guess I never really noticed. They just...they're Ron and Hermione. Nothing they do really surprises me anymore."

"Yeah well...they're gross."

"Jealous no one's making your plate? Should I...?" Harry reached for an empty plate but Ginny smacked his hands.

"Don't you dare Potter!"

Harry feigned disappointment. "Just trying to be chivalrous. Thought you witches go for that sort of thing."

Ginny thought for a moment, wondering if she should bring it up. Of course she should... "Didn't work too well for Chang did it?" He laughed and shook his head. "What happened? I wasn't really paying attention...missed the story."

"Cho got jealous because I was meeting Hermione for something."

Ginny guffawed. "She was _jealous_? Of _Hermione_?!" Harry nodded and made a hand motion that said 'exactly'. "Does she not see what the entire world sees? Hermione would never take a second glance at you!"

Harry laughed. "Thanks again, Gin."

"I mean...I didn't...well it's true! She's absolutely barmy for my git of a brother...for whatever reason."

"I know, and I told Cho that. But she got all huffy. Hermione says I didn't handle it tactfully but..." he shrugged again. "I don't really care as much as I thought I would honestly." He popped the rest of his biscuit in his mouth and Ginny noticed his green eyes glance her way momentarily.

As they got up from the table and decided to head back to the common room together, Ginny couldn't help but think that someone was clearly jealous of the wrong witch.

* * *

"I don't understand it Ron," Hermione was saying, "he keeps dreaming about this door....he's You-Know-Who in other dreams...I don't like any of this."

Ron used his wand to pull back a piece of tapestry - a prime snogging spot where they caught a couple hiding just a few nights before. "I don't either, Love. It's not good."

"He needs to practice his Occlumency more."

"Yeah well don't push him too much with that. You know how he gets. He'll pull away the more you push him."

Hermione winced. "He already has," she started.

"Hermione," Ron groaned.

"He's not talking to me again."

"Hermione!" He said again.

"We might have got into it while you were at practice and he went to bed in a right state. We should probably get back soon."

Ron shook his head at her and rolled his eyes. "You've got to stop pushing him."

"But he needs to practice!"

"I know he needs to practice, he knows he needs to practice and we all bloody well know _you_ know he needs to-"

"Ronald," she admonished.

"I'm only saying...he's our best mate. You know him as well as I do. Lay off of him about this a bit. We'll have to find other ways to get him to do what he needs to."

"Fine." Hermione crossed her arms and looked away. Ron wrapped his fingers around her arm and tugged her towards the broom closet near the portrait hole - one of their favorite after rounds spots. "Ron, we really should get back inside so you can check on Harry."

"He's alright," he whispered. "Neville's in the room and knows I have rounds. He'll come find me if something happens, he dismissed." "Neville knows the drill." He closed the door behind them softly and leaned into her putting her back against the wall.

"Got a babysitter have you?" She chuckled but then put on her best serious face. "Ron, we can't keep asking Neville to-"

Ron laughed softly. "Well it's either Neville or I ask Dean or Seamus."

"No...no. I suppose Neville is the best option. But I'd still much rather if you were up there with him."

"You know," Ron wrapped a soft curl around his finger, "you can come too. We can both-"

"And how would that look?"

"Alright," he shrugged. "Worth a shot." Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "I just...I swear I'm not just being a randy git."

"Oh you're not are you?"

"I mean, yeah, I _am_ a randy git, but anything like that would just be a happy bonus!" He rubbed his nose to hers and breathed in her scent. "I just...I like having you close. I wish I could hold you at night. That's all, I promise."

"Well," she smiled, "be that as it may...we cannot. It's against the rules."

Ron kissed her deeply and pulled back, leaving her gasping slightly. "So is that," he offered. "Going to give me detention prefect Granger?"

"Oh...shut up." She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. He faintly mumbled "gladly" just before his lips touched hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS...am I the only one who really sees Ron and Hermione as Harry's pseudo-parents? And I reeeeeeeally see it in OOTP..when Harry is at his sassiest and moodiest. It was a funny dynamic to me in the books - when they weren't together - but it's so completely adorable and endearing here with them together. And of course we have the fretful mum and the 'oh he's fine' dad haha! FYI 96% of their arguments now are about Harry...the other 4% are probably homework and Ron's table manners. What say you? Alright...wish me luck as I try to navigate the next couple of chapters and work to get them to you!!!


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